the laws of attraction
by dramaqueen452
Summary: this is a story that has a little of LP, BL and definitely NH. its mostly abt Lucas and another character
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She groaned involuntarily as she got out the car, why did they even bother registering in school, it wasn't like they were going to stay long anyway.

'It ain't gonna be that bad you'll see.' Her brother put a hand on her shoulder.

'Yeah' it had become their little ritual of some sort. He would assure her that everything was going to be okay and she would agree with him but they both knew how empty those words were.

'Maybe after this we should try home school.' She didn't even try to disguise the resentment that was dripping off her tone. Riley pulled her tight against him, he hated the constant moves but he knew it was especially tougher on Harley. At a loss of what to say he pulled her with him off the parking lot and into the main entrance of Tree Hill high.

'Here we go again.' They both said at the same time and then burst out laughing easing all the tension and nerves that had wound them up really tight.

First classes were always the worst for her, people starred at you when you walked in, you became the centre of attention, and she didn't like being the centre of attention. So she was prepared for the stares, rude comments and all that when she got into her first class – math class.

'We got ourselves fresh meat and pretty fine fresh meat too.' Some guy from the back piped up, when the teacher introduced her. She only just managed to refrain from rolling her eyes. They never did disappoint did they, the ones that sat at the back? He could have not said anything and let her just get on with it but he just had to say something. The class laughed at his comment.

'Alright Miss Taylor, find a seat and let's begin the class shall we?' another difficult thing about being a new student. When you were told to find a seat everybody stared at you wanting to see who'd pick to sit next to. As for the ones with the empty seats next to them, some of them scowled at you when you even looked in their direction, especially the girls. So she didn't look at any of them, she simply walked to the back of the class, sitting next to the black guy at the back.

'Sorry about him, he's just thee class idiot.' He pointed to the class clown from before.

'It's aiyte; I've seen my fair share of idiots.' She smiled at him. Well at least she had found an ally.

'So looks like you and me have got the same name.'

'Mr. Taylor, something you wanna share with the class?' the teacher shouted before she could figure out what it is he had said

'No sir!'

When lunch time arrived, her brother was nowhere to be seen, no surprises there. She would have thought that he would at least have the decency to hang with her the first day. Knowing him right now she would probably find him with the cheerleaders, or the high school jocks. She looked around trying to find somewhere to sit till she spotted a bench by the corner, right next to the pillar overlooking everything else. She plugged her earphones in and turned her volume to the blast. This was going to be a long day.

She began scanning the crowd seeing as she was bored senseless and had nothing else to do. It was a typical high school really. Everyone was part of a click and those who were in relationships took the lunch hour as an opportunity to suck each other's faces off. She identified the cheerleaders first. Wasn't hard to do – the really short skirts, skimpy tops and the constant reapplication of makeup and lip gloss was kind of a dead giveaway. Then there were the school jocks, although she couldn't exactly tell which sport which group played and she didn't really care. Then there were the geeks, they were all glasses and massive books on their tables. She didn't really care about the other clicks. She had learned a long time ago that the jocks, cheerleaders and the geeks told you all you needed to know about a school. Identifying them basically gave you the down low on everything on all schools. She turned her attention to the cheerleaders. They were always fun to watch – a way of amusing oneself when you were bored, and right now she was bored. Her attention was drawn to the curly blonde and the dimpled brunet. They were saying something or the other and all the other cheerleaders were giving them their undivided attention. The brunette seemed to be shouting shaking her head, her black locks flailing wildly. Looks like she had found the boss lady. The blonde put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. She huffed and stomped her foot and briskly walked off towards where a group of boys were sat down. Harley chuckled, she couldn't believe that she had actually stomped her feet, who did that nowadays? Maybe this place wasn't going to be so bad after all, there was a drama queen and where there was a drama queen there was drama, and boy did she love drama!

Her eyes were still wondering, trying to find 'Dimples' when something caught the corner of her eye. Was that her brother? She couldn't believe it... he had been here for only a few hours and there he was flirting with Goldilocks, and she was actually laughing and flirting back! Unbelievable, he had abandoned her for Goldilocks. She didn't even know why she was surprised; he had always loved his women.

She jumped when her right earphone was suddenly yanked out of her ear.

'What's a guy gotta do to get your attention?' it was the guy from her first class, something Taylor; she never really got his first name.

'Skills Taylor.' He offered his hand for her to shake.

'Skills?' her eyebrows rose up high as she took his hand.

'I'm a very skilful kinda guy.' This time she chuckled, she couldn't help it, he was quiet funny.

'Name's Harley.'

'What, like a bike?'

'Yep, exactly like a bike.' She had heard all the jokes concerning her name.

'And you were making fun of my name, yet you were named after a bike.' She looked at him not knowing how exactly to react, what exactly was she supposed to say?

'Chill man, I'm just playing' witchu. Frankly I think it's a beautiful name, unique, and beautiful.' He smiled at her and she smiled back.

'Thank you.' She said simply. I mean what else could she say?

'So what's a fine sister like you sitting here all by yourself for?'

'This fine sister is new, she only been here a few hours, so she don't really know nobody yet.' She imitated his accent which made him laugh.

'Well now you know me, which means you won't be sitting alone again ever again.'

'Sure.' She didn't believe him, not even one iota. It was easy for him to say that now, but the minute his friends appeared, he'd disappear, she had seen it all before and she was used to it.

'Hey sis.' It was her brother, towering above her, shooting daggers at Skills. He had his arm around Goldilocks

'_¿Seguro dont residuos en cualquier momento._' She said to him in Spanish, he sure didn't waste any time.

'_sis en venir, no lo que usted piensa.'_ It wasn't what she was thinking he replied. Riley knew that she was a bit peeved off with him for leaving her alone on their first day.

'This is Peyton Sawyer, Peyton this is my sister, Harley.'

'Hie.' Peyton smiled at her and Harley just frowned at her, and looked at her brother. What the hell was he doing? A cheerleader?

'Are you gonna introduce me to your friend?'

'Skills, this is my brother Riley.'

'Skills?' her brother frowned at him, 'what kind of name is that?'

'Doesn't be rude Ry.' She reprimanded him. She frowned at him telling him exactly what she would do to him if he took this in the direction that he wanted to.

'It's Antwon actually!' skills said smartly. Riley looked back at him and back at his sister.

'Ma bad man, didn't mean no harm' He said apologetically

'We all good, and welcome to Tree hill high.' After that they both started discussing basket ball leaving her and Peyton sitting in a really uncomfortable silence.

Peyton starred at the girl in front of her. She seemed almost hostile towards her, a total opposite to her brother. Was it because she was new or was it because she was like that by nature? She opened her mouth to say something to say something by closed it again, what was the point? This was more like Haylie's turf; she didn't deal well with awkward situations.

'So a bunch of us are going to the cafe for coffee later, after school wanna come?' she finally said awkwardly. Haylie would be proud. Harley just starred at her. Great just another cheerleader who pretended to be friends with you so that she could hook up with your brother! Just what she needed!

'No thanks, I don't drink coffee.' she said ignoring the shocked look that her brother threw her. Yeah so she was a caffeine addict but she wasn't going to be used. If Goldilocks wanted to get with Ry, then she'd have to find another way.

Peyton shrugged her shoulders; nobody could blame her for not trying. She had tried. She excused herself and went to find Brooke.

She found her with Lucas, Nathan and Haylie

'Hey, was that the new guy I saw you with?' she asked detangling herself from Lucas who nodded at her.

'Yeah.' She knew by the way that Brooke was looking at her that she wanted details. But there weren't any, they had met during art class and they had just clicked. Brooke sighed as Peyton didn't reveal anything, typical Sawyer, always hugged everything to her chest.

'Well whatever, anyway he is super cute.' She shrieked as she clutched her hands in front of her in excitement.

'Hey.' Lucas protested making them all laugh.

'Oh don't worry Broody, I know I'm taken.' She kissed him on the cheek. 'But Peyton is not.' She said jokingly but there was a hint of something that Peyton couldn't read in her voice.

'Brooke the guy has only been here for a couple of hours and already you got him paired up with Sawyer.' Nathan reprimanded.

'What? She is the only one single out of all of us, it wouldn't hurt would it?' and besides she didn't like the fact that Peyton was single, it wasn't good. The sooner she got her with someone the better it would be for all of them.

Lucas starred at Brooke from underneath his eyelashes. He knew what she was thinking and he didn't blame her, it was his fault that she didn't trust him and was insecure when it came to Peyton. He turned his gaze to Peyton. She was watching the new guy. Was she interested? It shouldn't matter but somewhere somehow it did. The thought of her being interested in someone else gave her a tight feeling in his chest. He shoved it to the back of his mind and locked it in a box where it belonged. He wasn't going to go there ever again. He loved Brooke now. That established he pulled her close to him and planted a big smack on her surprised lips, invoking a cry from Haylie who shouted at them to get a room.

**_author's note: this is my very first fanftiction so be kind. i love LP but i also love BL so as i couldnt write both i thot i could create another character. r&r_**


	2. Chapter 2

She groaned out loud and turned d her heard when bright light suddenly attacked her vision.

'Go away!' she groaned and burrowed deeper into the duvet.

'Get up Harl, you going to late for school.' He yanked the duvet off her. She writhed and buried her head in the pillow.

'I am not going.' Was all Riley heard through the muffles of the pillow.

'Sure you are, come on Harl, I got you your morning fix.' He coerced, waving the mug from side to side knowing the smell will drive her crazy.

'Grrr!' she thrashed her legs on the bed, jumped up made to grab for the mug but he moved it out of her reach.

'Ah-ah, not yet, shower first then you can have this.' He knew he was playing with fire, he knew better than to mess with her when she had just woken up. But from the way she had been acting he knew that she didn't want to go.

'Riley Devante Taylor if you don't give me that mug right now I will kick your ass all the way to Milan and back.' She growled holding out her hand, he held his ground.

'Riley!' she growled again and this time he handed it over with no qualms.

' Thank you.' She sighed as she brought the steamy mug to her lips and moaned out loud as the hot liquid made its way down her throat. Riley fought a chuckle. It never seized to amaze him how she got with _coffee_.

'Better?' he asked amusement written all over his face.

'Yeah. No thanks to you.' She finished the rest of her coffee and went into the bathroom and came back out with the toothbrush in her mouth.

'Am not going Riley.' She shouted after him when he turned to leave stopping him in his tracks.

'Harley.' He pleaded

'There is no point.' She went back to the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth.

'Maybe it will be different this time.' He had followed her to the bathroom and was now leaning against the door. She turned to look at him and what she saw almost broke her heart. His face was full of so much hope.

'No it won't.' she said softly and watched him swallow hard.

'But...'

'Riley no.' she hated seeing all the hope drain from his face, but he knew she was right. It was just a matter of how long it was going to be this time.

'Okay fine, but just because the journey is going to end doesn't mean that you shouldn't enjoy the ride.'

'You just want to go coz of Goldilocks.' She teased. Humour was due for this conversation, it was way too serious.

' I do not.' He protested defiantly, a tinge of red flashing across his cheeks.

' You have got to be kidding me! You have only known her for a day!'

'Just get ready okay?' he said pleading in his voice.

'Fine.' She would do this but just for him. She sighed as she stepped into the shower. That was the problem with people with big hearts, they formed emotional attachments quickly, in her brother's case too quick. With the life they led it was the worst idea ever , because when it came time to leave it would hurt like hell. She had learnt that a long time ago, the hard way. But Riley kept hoping that it would be different every time despite the fact that it was the same all the time. He just couldn't stop himself from getting close to people all the time. She just didn't understand how he could do it over and over again.

Riley smiled and let out a breath he hadn't been aware he had been holding when his sister came bounding down the stairs.

'I'm only doing this for you.' She said picking up an apple from the fruit basket and going to her car.

He smiled after her. He knew and he loved her for it.


	3. Chapter 3

Peyton was having a good day, well not yet but she was determined to make the best of today. It seemed like ever since she started high school she was always miserable every single day. But today she had woken up and something had just struck her and she was tired of being miserable and thus her resolution for the day was made. If she could get through today happy all day then she could make it through the week.

'What are you looking all so pleased about?' Brooke linked her arm with hers.

'It's a beautiful day, why shouldn't I be looking pleased?'

'Hmmm. You sure it has nothing to do with a certain tall, dark and handsome somebody.'

'Nathan? Nah he never brightened my day, sides he is taken now. Remember Haylie.'

'Ha-ha very funny, you know very well I was talking about Jboog over there.' She said pointing to Riley who was getting out of the car with his sister. Peyton's lips tilted upwards a bit.

'Jboog?'

'Yeah you know, from B2K, the really cute one, who can dance really well.'

Peyton looked at Brooke in surprise and struggling really hard not to laugh. 'Since when do you listen to B2k?'

'Really cute guys with really cute butts, any sane girl, who is straight, would listen to them.' Peyton laughed out loud this time.

'Then why do you call him that?'

'Because he looks exactly like him, you can ask any girl who listens to them. The girls in school are crazy about him. Even I'm jealous you got your hooks in him already.'

'Well you can stop being jealous, I don't have my hooks in anybody, he's all yours, although, don't you have Lucas?'

Brooke flipped her hair back. 'Don't get me wrong I love that boy to boot but I'm allowed to look.'

'Hmm-hmm.'

'Don't hmm-hmm me, what is that supposed to mean?'

'Nothing much, just wondering if he is also allowed to look since you are also.' Peyton teased, but Brooke's face suddenly turned stormy and cloudy. Was Peyton asking if he was allowed to look at her?

'Don't even joke about that!' she snapped causing Peyton to recoil as if she had slapped her. She knew just by looking at her face, she knew exactly what Brooke was thinking. Her heart stopped. So much for having a good day.

'Brooke you don't think…, I would never…' she started then she stopped. She couldn't believe that they were having this conversation. She had thought they were past all that.

'I was just messing with you.' She said softly. Brooke shook her head and blinked as if she was just waking up from a slumber.

'Peyton….'

'I'm going to be late for class.' With that she was gone leaving Brooke starring after her. Brooke swore under her breath qwords that would have made her mother proud. She hadn't meant to sound like that, and she hadn't meant to imply… bit anyway could Peyton blame her, after what she had done to her? Yeah she had said that she would forgive them, but she couldn't forget no matter how much she tried.

'Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought I saw you smiling in the morning.' Peyton was already smiling when she turned around

'Hey Riley.'

'So what has you all broody and moody about?'

'Girl trouble.'

'Oh no. I don't want to mess with that.' He said causing her to smile. Her first smile since the incident with Brooke.

'There you go, wasn't so hard now was it?' riley wanted to ask her what the problem was but he didn't want to pry. And he wasn't going to. If she wanted to tell him she would.

'Want to go for ice-cream?' he offered. Peyton raised her eyebrows at him in surprise. 'Rocky road.' He lamented.

'Rocky road?'

'My grandmother says it's the cure for everything' He explained.

'What your grandmother forgot to explain was that it's the recipe for increasing three jean sizes?' she mocked him.

'I hate to break it you Goldilocks but a whiff of wind could blow you away; you need to put on a pound or two, or even three.' He teased

'Hey!' she smacked him on the arm.

'Well you coming?' he held out his hand to her and she reluctantly took it letting him lead her to his car.

'We have to be back for the next lesson.' She reminded him. He didn't say anything but simply smiled at her, which made her a little nervous, just not nervous enough to stop her getting in the car.

Brooke had rushed out of class ten minutes ago trying to catch up with Peyton, but it had been like she had disappeared into thin air. She had then spent the next ten minutes searching for her in all the places she thought she might be. She caught a glimpse of her as she was getting into the car with the new guy. She sighed as she knew that she wasn't going to talk to her anytime soon. She really needed to catch up to her and explain things. She wasn't really sure what she was going to say but she knew that she had to sort things out. She and Peyton had been through way too much to end up not being friends. She just needed to get over the past that's all.

'Hey pretty girl.' Lucas walked behind her and kissed her neck.

'Hey you.' She whispered back absent minded.

'You okay?' Lucas asked noticing that she didn't seem her usual cheery self

'Yeah, just had an argument with Peyton.' She leaned back into him. Lucas sighed audibly and Brooke shifted off him immediately. 'I know what you are thinking Lucas but don't.'

'Brooke...'

'It's not all my fault, you know. If you two hadn't sneaked around behind my back, none of this would be happening.' She snapped her face flaring blood red. Lucas sighed again and rubbed her temples that were beginning to throb.

'It always comes back to that, doesn't it?' He turned to walk away but then stopped. 'By the way, what I was going to say was that you and Peyton will work it out, you always do.' Then he walked off leaving Brooke staring after him.

'Just... great.' She muttered under her breath.


	4. Chapter 4

The plan to go back to school in time for AP Chem. hadn't exactly gone accordingly. They had gone to the food court at the mall for ice cream and the next thing she knew it was way after school. She hadn't had this much fun in such a long time. She had even forgotten about the whole saga with Brooke. The other thing that she couldn't get past, that she kept teasing him about was the fact that she had never spent a day with a guy in the mall. Most guys usually ran for the hills.

At the end she had asked him to come shoe shopping with her, just to test him. The whole shoe shopping thing was a no go area with boys. She had been shocked out of her wits when he had agreed.

'You sure you not gay?' she joked but she was scared of the answer. Guys hated any kind of shopping with women, especially for shoes.

'No I'm as straight as they come, I can promise you.' He smiled at her

'Then explain to me the whole shoe shopping thing.'

Have you met my sister? She is a Nazi when it comes to shoe shopping.' She laughed at that relief dripping all over her voice. She didn't know why she was relieved but she was. Well actually she did but she didn't want to think about that right now.

'You do know that I just lost a really cool pal. Imagine all the shopping, gossip and girl time we could have spent together.' She teased.

'I'm sorry but you are gonna have to make do with little old me.' They both laughed just as her phone rang. She checked her caller i.d. Brooke. She flipped her phone closed and ignored it.

'You are gonna have to answer that some time.' Riley said silently.

'No, not really.' She was having so much fun; she didn't want anything to spoil it.

'Peyton...' he started to say but she cut him off

'Oh look, aren't they gorgeous.' Before he knew it she had gone into Suburban Filth ant straight for the underwear section. He laughed. He couldn't help it. She turned to him confusion written all over her face.

'You trying to tell me something Goldie?' he was struggling sop hard not to laugh right now and the look on her face when she realised where they were was just priceless. She had been in such a hurry to get away from the conversation that she hadn't realised where she was going.

'No it's not like that... I didn't meant anything by it, it was just...urgh!' he burst out into fits of laughter.

'Personally I do prefer this one.' He held out a black teddy with a red ribbon.

'Stop it.' She lunged for it but he moved it out of her reach.

'Didn't know you two were at the stage of shopping for underwear.' A voice said behind her making her jump and lose her balance that she collided straight into riley, sending them tumbling over the ground.

'Nathan, Haylie.' She managed to say as she tried to get herself out of the tangled mess of limbs and underwear she had got herself into.

'Sawyer.' Nathan and Haylie said simultaneously. Haylie despite her best efforts burst out laughing.

'This is just perfect.' Nathan took out his phone and took a picture.

'Nathan Scott, don't you dare!' she tried to get up but then she slipped and collapsed back down. That set everybody in fits of laughter. Haylie offered his hand to Peyton while Nathan offered his to Riley.

'You just reminded me why I love you Sawyer.' Nathan said traces of laughter in his voice.

'If you love me so much then give me that photo.' She held out her hand for his phone, but he moved it out of her reach.

'Ah-ah, not so fast, I'm gonna need this later.' He said mischief written all over his face.

'Oh so you gonna blackmail me then?' he didn't say anything but simply smiled at her mischievously.

'You going to introduce us Sawyer?' Haylie interrupted them looking over at Riley. She knew that if left to their own devices then these two would carry on forever.

'Oh yeah, this is Riley Taylor, Riley this is Nathan and Haylie Scott, our resident sweethearts.' Peyton made the introductions.

'You guys married?' riley couldn't help asking after noting their identical rings on their wedding fingers.

'Yeah.' Haylie held out her hand excitedly.

'Whoa.' Then as if realising what he just said he added, 'well congratulations.' Nathan laughed at his discomfort.

'Don't worry we used to it.'

'You missed AP Chem.' Haylie said to Peyton causing her to blush immensely.

'Rocky road.' Riley stated as if that was supposed to explain everything. Nathan and Haylie starred at them as they waited for some more explanations but they didn't come.

'Okay! Right then. We were going to go for some food, you guys wanna join us?' Peyton looked at riley for an answer.

'Yeah sure. Hot dogs?' riley answered instead

'That is the best idea anyone has ever told me.' Haylie hooked her arms through both Nathan's and Peyton leading them towards the food court. Peyton held outré her hand to riley and they all left together.

He hated mornings, well not really but today he didn't actually feel like it. He had stayed out late last night with Peyton after Nathan and Haylie had left to go home. They had ended up at hers watching re-runs of Gilmore Girls over and over again. He chuckled at the memory of how she got excited by Lorelei, just like his sister. They had no idea how much they had in common.

'And what did you get up to last night?' his sister hoped over the kitchen counter grabbing an apple from the fruit basket.

'Morning to you too.' He took a sip of his really strong coffee as he offered her a mug which she declined.

'No thanks, am trying to stay away from the stuff.' She took a bite out of her apple. 'You didn't answer my question.'

'That's because it's none of your business.' He took the slice of toast out of the plate and popped it into his mouth.

'You missed two lessons yesterday.' She stated

'Your point being?'

'Hmm, I don't know. Do I need to remind you that you have been expelled once before because you missed your lessons?'

'Like you said we won't be here long enough for the number of lessons I attend to matter.'

'Not for you, but something tells me that Goldilocks is gonna be here for a long, long time after you've left. You think about that next time you dragging her out classes.' With that she hoped off the kitchen top and was gone.

Riley sighed, he knew she was right but he didn't want to think about that right now.

The next time he saw her she was getting out of the gym and heading towards her first class. He smiled, it was good to see her back too her old habits again, at least some of them.

'Harley!' he yelled after her.

'What do you want?' she didn't stop, but just kept going.

'I should have called last night and told you I was going to be out late.' He knew how she got about that kind of thing. He just hadn't been thinking yesterday, he really should have called.

'You are a big boy Riley you can take care of yourself, you don't have to tell me everything you are up to.' She was freezing him out.

'Bobby I'm sorry.' He said softly as he pulled her to a halt. She wouldn't look at him, she just looked anywhere but him.

'Is everything okay?' he hadn't heard Peyton coming. When Harley noticed who it was she rolled her eyes and began to walk off.

'Bobby!' he pleaded with her.

'Look riley, don't worry about it okay? It's fine.' She looked at him sadly before finally walking off.

'Have lunch with me then.' He shouted after her but she didn't say anything, didn't even look back

'Is everything okay?' Peyton put a hand on her shoulder in concern.

'No, but it will be.' Peyton wanted to ask further but from the looks of things he didn't want to talk about it.

'Okay then.' With that he simply led him to the class.

Brooke was already in class when Lucas walked in. Usually they would sit together but today he walked right past her and went to sit on the desk at the back with Nathan. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again, what could she say? When Peyton walked in with the4 new guy it was the same story. She had really made a mess of things, hadn't she? Now she just had to find a way to fix it.

**_a/n: this is it for a while, have to study but will be bak with some more, stay tuned_**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He was late, just as always...well she was used to it. He was never on time. She had been waiting for a few more minutes when she spotted him on the benches near the parking lot. She was about to walk over to him when she saw Goldilocks and her friends with him. A frown marred her face in confusion.

She sighed and headed to the ladies. She'd give him a bit of time then she'd come back and then they'd have lunch together. But when she came back rushing ten minutes later, worried sick because she was late, she found him still in the same place in no hurry to leave whatsoever. She felt a bubble of irritation inside of her. There he was having the time of his life and he'd forgotten all about her. She watched as the brunette girl joined them...what was her name? Oh who cared, it didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that he had invited her but then there he was. She was grinding her teeth so hard that she didn't hear someone coming behind her.

'That's not usually the look that girls get when they are staring at him, now Brooke Davis on the other hand is another story all together.' A voice said behind her causing her to jump.

'Huh?' she asked as she turned to face the girl who was about the same height as her with a short, blonde pixie haircut. At first glance it looked weird on her chocolate brown skin but at second glance it looked gorgeous. It took all of twenty seconds to get used to.

'Lucas Scott?' she said when she realised the other girl was staring at her. She stifled a laugh. She was used to that reaction ever since she had dyed her hair.

'Who's Lucas Scott?'

'Ahmmm, dirty blonde hair, seriously gorgeous blue eyes and always broody?'

'No?' she said when the other girl didn't exhibit any signs of having any idea what she was talking about. 'Well I guess you weren't starring at him then, so you want to tell me what you were starring at then?'

'I don't even know you.'

'What's your point? You obviously have a problem, and my mother always say that a problem shared is a problem halved or some kinds of crap like that so now since you have a problem spill.' Harley stares at her speechlessly, she couldn't help it. How could she not? This girl had come here, no hello no anything and started…rumbling and she talked so fast it was making her head hurt.

'Well...' she inquired when Harley still didn't say anything.

'That's my brother there, over with them. We were supposed to have lunch together.' She shook her head; she still couldn't believe they were having this conversation at all.

'Ah that explains the angry face then...he dumped you for the popular kids.'

'He didn't!' she said indignantly.

'Whatever you say.' She shrugged her slim shoulders

'He did not!' this time Harley's voice rose a little causing people around to turn around and stare at them.

'Okay, keep your voice down.' She chuckled, 'although he is over there with all the popular kids and you are over here all by your lone self.'

'Are you always so…'

'Cheerful, happy… yeah always.'

'I was going for rude, intrusive and can't help but butt into other people's business.'

'Yeah it's been said once or twice you are new.' She stated. Harley rubbed her temples; she could feel a migraine coming on. How did she do that, switch from one subject to the next without skipping a breath, she was struggling to catch up with her as it was.

'Yeah.' She managed through gritted teeth. She wasn't really sure what else to say. It wasn't as if it had been a question.

'Kinda figured, you got the look, anyway me too, well sort of, I used to go here but then I left and now I'm back again, name's Faith.' She held out her hand for the other girl to shake it. But she couldn't, she just stood there and stared at her bewildered. The only other person who spoke that fast was Lorelei Gilmore from Gilmore girls, and that in itself spoke volumes.

'Do you ever stop?' she asked instead ignoring the offered hand.

'Nope.' She thrust her hand further in her face giving Harley no choice but to shake the hand.

'Name's Harley and before you say anything I've heard them all before.' She said before the other girl could open her mouth to speak.

'I wasn't gonna say anything.' She said with all the innocence she could manage.

'Yeah right.'

'Honest' she said just as the bell rang. 'That's us.'

'What you got.'

'Calculus, you?'

'Same.'

'Really?' Harley watched as her eyes danced with excitement. It was only the same class together not the New york fashion show.

'Cool, let's walk together.' Then she actually skipped ahead, skipped. Who did that?

'Ever thought of joining the cheerleading squad?' Harley teased.

'Don't even joke about that!'

Riley turned and around just as the bell rang in time to see his sister disappear down the corridor hand in hand with some girl.

'Crap!' he saw under his breath but Peyton heard him all the same.

'What is it?' she asked looking at the same direction that he was looking at. He told her how he was supposed to meet his sister for lunch. He had totally forgotten about it all. After class he had left with Peyton and gone with her to sit with Haylie, Nathan, skills and Mouth. Then Lucas had come and then Brooke. They had been this great tension and between the three of them and Peyton had refused to let him go. They had all been speaking but Peyton and Brooke hadn't actually said even one word to each other.

'I'm sorry.' She said sympathetically. 'Look is my fault I'll explain to her.' She offered, but Riley declined.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you, she'll come down eventually.' He'd just have to grovel a little bit.

Brooke had just the most horrendous lunch she had ever had, well maybe not the most but it was right up there. She didn't even know why she had even gone there, maybe she had been hoping that maybe she could sort things out with Peyton and Lucas but it had actually shown her how bad things were. Lucas had just been tense and Peyton had avoided speaking to her and even looking at her. So when she got into English class and there was someone sitting at her desk, she was not in the mood to talk.

'You are in my seat!' she ground out planting her hands grimly on the desk and staring the other girl down. The other girl simply starred at her back unfazed.

'Doesn't have your name on it.' She stated coldly. Faith ground her teeth. Talk about coming face to face with your past literally!

'I know that, but everybody knows that I sit here.' She said through clenched teeth.

'Clearly not everybody.' She looked to the aside dismissing her which infuriated Brooke even more.

'Are you going to move or not?'

Faith laughed. Trust good old Brooke Davies she never changed. She still thought she could rule the world.

'Listen I don't know who you think you are, but this is my seat' she said more firmly this time.

'Aren't you getting a bit tired to say that because I am tired of hearing it?'

'Ahh...' she started

'Was that Davis for you are in my seat? Coz if it is the answer is still the same, I ain't moving, go find somewhere else.' She turned the volume of her iPod up and ignored her.

Brooke growled as silently as she could. This... this girl came here and she, she...urgh. She wanted to scream and strangle her!

'Faith (!)?' Lucas asked behind her cutting her off. Brooke looked from Lucas to the girl, wait did they know each other?

'Lucas?' the girl jumped from the chair and jumped into his arms as he enveloped her in a bear hug.

'What are you doing here?'

'Oh nice to see you too, Luke.' She said sarcastically.

'Of course it's good to see you, but seriously how come you are here?'

'Wanted to surprise you.'

'Colour me surprised, still not answering my question.'

Peyton walked in with Haylie, Nathan and Riley just as Faith was disengaging herself from Lucas.

'Who's that?' she asked lowering her voice, but not low enough because as soon as she said that Lucas turned to face them.

'Oh hey guys, this is Faith, a really good and old friend of mine.' He went on to introduce everybody else.

'Easy on the old there buddy.'

'Well pleasure to meet anybody who can make Lucas smile like a moron.' Peyton teased as she shook Faith's hand.

'Easy on the moron there buddy. Lucas said causing them to laugh.

'And that is my girlfriend Brooke Davis.' Faith turned to see that Brooke had sat herself at the desk while she had been talking to Lucas. She laughed and everybody turned to her with puzzled looks on their faces.

'We already met.' She explained.

'I'm not moving.' Brooke said defiantly. Faith chuckled

'Don't doubt it for a second'

'Even if you asked me to, I wasn't going to.'

'Who said anything about me asking?' everyone was looking from one to the other trying to follow the conversation, without much success.

Before Brooke could say anything Faith turned and kissed Lucas lightly on the mouth leaving Brooke silently fuming, her face red with indignation and anger.

'See you later Luc.' She grabbed her bag and stalked off to the back of the class to sit with the other new girl – Harley.

Peyton was trying so hard not to laugh but failed when she looked at Lucas's confused face and Brooke's stormy face. Ooh this was going to be fun.

'Bad girl!' Harley teased as soon as Faith slid onto the chair next to her. 'I take it we don't like her?'

'No we don't. And she deserves it, I haven't even started yet.'

'Okay I like the whole thing of us not liking her coz I think she is a bitch but I gotta ask why.'

'Because she and her friends made my freshman yeah a living night mare in my freshman year here.'

'Okay fair enough, she is going down.' Faith turned to look at her quizzically.

'What... I don't like people who make my friend's life miserable.'

Faith smiled, and then she kept on smiling.

'What?'

'You said we, and you called me a friend.' She said excitedly.

'Dont push it.'

**_A/n: i dont own oth, or the characters, except for Harley n Riley. Faith is an old friend of lucas that he met with when he took Peyton to see Ellie in season 3. kinda liked her, she was fiesty._**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Peyton saw her pulling her car in the parking lot. She took a deep and started walking toward her. This girl was not the easiest of people to talk to, in fact she was impossible and she had made it pretty clear that she didn't want to talk to her on any level at all. Normally she wouldn't even be bothering with this but she'd been talking to Riley this morning and he had seemed pretty upset about the whole thing. Harley had been avoiding him for the past two days. He had said that she would calm down but she could tell from the way he was talking that he really was bothered about it.

'It was my fault.' She stated as she was getting out of the car

'Huh?'

'Riley standing you up? It was my entire fault.'

'It really is none of your business.' She walked ahead totally freezing her out.

'It kinda is, since you are mad at him because of me.'

'Who says I'm mad at him?'

'I don't know the angry looks you keep shooting him all the time and then there is this whole thing about you ignoring him and all.' She said flippantly, that stopped her in her track. She slowly turned around to face her.

'I don't even know why I'm still talking with you about this, but the bottom line is still the same, whatever is going on between me and my brother is none of your business. Just because you are sleeping with my brother doesn't mean that you should stick your nose in my business.'

'We are not sleeping together!' Peyton said indignantly. She didn't even know why she was even bothering; this girl was rude, and insufferable. 'I haven't even known him for that long' She didn't even know why she was explaining herself.

'And that is none of my business.' She didn't even wait for her to say anything she just walked off.

'Trouble in paradise?' Brooke said right behind her.

'You even know what you talking about or are you just saying all this to have a dig at me?' she really didn't have time for one of Brooke's games right now, so she turned to walk off.

Brooke sighed, she was right as always, when she had seen her she had come here to apologise but then seeing her with the new girl she had kind of got jealous. She didn't even know why. Maybe because she knew that Peyton and her brother had been hanging out lately and it was inevitable that they would be friends. That had been until she got close enough to hear the conversation, and then the words had just come out of her mouth.

'I'm sorry.' She was getting good at that lately, the whole apology thing. As much as she hated it she seemed to be doing it a lot lately.

Peyton stopped and turned to face her. 'What do you want Brooke?' she really was not in the mood for any of Brooke's games, not right now. She had had enough bitch doses of bitch venom for one day.

'I just want to apologise.'

'Good, done now you can go.' She turned to leave but Brooke stopped her.

'Peyton cant we fix this?' she pleaded.

'The point there being? Coz we are gonna be back here again, if not next week, then next month or in three who knows but the bottom line is still the same we are gonna be back here again and I'd rather not be go over it again.' She turned to walk away again.

'Will you stop walking away from me?'

'Not really, no.' She kept walking so that Brooke had to walk faster to catch up with her, well as fast as her shoes will allow anyway.

'look I've apologised I don't know what else you want from me, it's not like I didn't have a reason for not trusting you, if you and Lucas hadn't ...'

'Really nice apology there Brooke. Like I said there really is no point in all this. You said you forgave us but clearly not.'

'I did.' She cried out.

'Then why do we always find ourselves here all the time?'

'You think it's easy to forget what you guys did, it's not...I love you both so much but I'm also always afraid that I'm not good enough for Lucas. I'm scared that he'd realise that he loves you and not me.' For the first time Peyton saw the vulnerability in her best friend that she hadn't seen in ages. She had known they had hurt her before but never truly accepted how it was making her feel afterward. And now she could see how hurt and scared she was, the ice and the walls around her heart melted.

'Brooke.' She took her by the shoulders. 'Lucas loves you so much and so do I. We will never hurt you like that again, ever. You can believe that. And I'm not asking you to forget it, all I'm asking is that you let it go and we move on.' She blinked hard as she tried to stop the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks. Brooke however wasn't so successful; they flowed down her cheeks leaving black trails.

'I will try, I will work on that.' She whispered huskily.

'that's all that I ever asked.' Peyton pulled her into a hug.

' now can we get to class so that I can get off my feet, these shoes are killing me.' She smiled through her tears causing Peyton to smile.

When Lucas got into class the first thing he saw was Skills and Mouth playing some kind of old school hip hop beat on the desk and Faith and other two girls, he couldn't really remember, dancing. She was smiling and laughing and for a minute it was just like the old times.

'The last time I saw you I could have sworn you had two left feet.' Lucas teased. She spun around to face him and her smile suddenly died.

'Oh hey Luc.' Then it was like the smile wasn't even there in the first place. He frowned in confusion; she had been doing that a lot lately.

'Hey yourself.' He smiled at her. 'Don't let me stop you.'

'Nah, we done anyway.' She walked off towards her desk and he followed her.

'Hey you okay?'

'Yeah I'm all good.' But he didn't believe her, she didn't even sound convincing.

'Faith...? I thought we were friends.'

'We are.'

'Then what is this?'

'Luke things have changed.'

'Why?'

'Because we are two different people, we are not the same anymore.'

'I'm still the same person.' He said defensively

'Oh come on Luc.' She scoffed. 'You are not the same person, you are hanging out with the popular crowd now matter of fact you are a part of it.' What could he say to that, she was right, but she was making it sound like he has betrayed hero something.

'That's not a bad thing, they are not that bad.'

'Not that bad...' she nodded. 'Are you forgetting what they did to us?' of course he hadn't but people changed and he told her so. Just then Brooke walked in arm in arm with Peyton.

'Well look who it is, you gonna try and take my seat again, because today I really wouldn't advise it' She said snidely to Faith.

'Wanna say that again?' Faith rolled her eyes at Lucas just as the teacher walked in.

Lucas sighed as he went to sit down, Brooke really wasn't helping matters any. She really wasn't doing herself any favours.

Faith sighed and sat down trying to fight down the anger that was threatening to overwhelm her. It was amazing that even after all this time Brooke and the past could still affect her like this.

'You okay?'

She took a deep breath trying to calm down, she hadn't known Harley for long but she felt like she had known her for ages, but she hadn't told her about the whole Brooke situation, about why she had to leave tree hill all those years ago.

'Yeah you know me I'm always alright.' Her smile was so strained that Harley felt her own anger bubble at the other girl.

'So is that the delicious Lucas Scott.' She said after a lengthy silence. Faith turned to her eyebrows raised sky high.

'thought he wasn't your type?' she teased.

'He's aiiyte.' She said flatly and Faith burst out laughing.

'Ri-i-ght. And I have the queen of England on speed dial.' They burst out laughing.

'You are quite finished I take it.' Drawled an English voice right in front of them causing them to nearly jump out of their skins. It was the lecturer, they had been so busy talking that she hadn't heard him come in. Harley cleared her throat and slowly raised her eyes to meet bright blue ones that were starring down at her eyebrows raised sky high. He was waiting for her to answer and clearly so was the whole class apparently. She cast a glance at Faith whose face was now glued o the book. Unbelievable!

'Yes sir.' She said inaudibly.

'You are the new girl right?' he was still starring down at her and she was fighting the strongest urge not to squirm right now and she couldn't speak so she nodded. She was feeling a tiny bit uncomfortable because she hated being put on the spot and right now that's exactly what he was doing, shifting all the focus of the class on her and she hated being the focus of attention.

'I'll take it as yes, shall I? Anyway I don't know how you did things where you come from, but around here when the teacher gets in the students shut up, and open their books that way we can get on with the lesson, well that is how we do it in my lessons anyway.' All of a sudden she was feeling eight again; when her grandmother had told her off for wearing off white at an all white party. She had felt about a foot tall then, she was feeling a foot tall now. She cleared her throat again, what could she say. She glanced at faith for help but her friend simply shrugged, she was on her own on this one.

'Hey Mr Wilson I forgot my book in the car, can I go get it?' a voice said from the front of the classroom...Goldilocks. he glanced at her one last time before he turned toward the front and all his attention towards goldilocks. Just as was striding towards the front she managed to catch her eyes and the smile that Goldilocks cast her way and for the first time Harley returned whole heartedly. She knew exactly what she had done and she was grateful for it.

'That is one gorgeous piece of meat.' Faith whispered.

'Miss sawyer do you hate my class?' he was saying but she wasn't paying attention any to what he was saying. She was looking at him, well more like ogling but hey she was entitled, she hadn't got the chance when he had first walked in. She watched him as he ran his hands through his unkempt hair, when was the last time he had a haircut, she found herself wondering. Unruly locks kept falling down his face and he kept pushing them back. If they bothered him so much why didn't he just get a haircut or something, or even get a hair band. He also had a week old stubble and a California beach tan, yet he had the poshest English accent ever, was that even a word?

'Miss Taylor!' his voice boomed across the room at her... oops his attention was back to her again.

'Sir?' she squeaked and faith stifled a laugh next to her.

'Are you listening to anything I've been saying?' he bellowed, he really had a deep voice, deep and rich voice.

'Not really?' his face clouded over, actually more like thundered over. What is it they said about the English being the expects at hiding their emotions? He opened his mouth clearly searching for something to say but when he couldn't find it he said, 'Well pay attention, you are gonna need this for your exam...' he turned around toward the board but then turned round and strode towards her.

'I take it you have read the book.'

'Yes sir.' she said quietly. Not only had she read it, but Macbeth was her all time favourite Shakespeare play ever, ancient English and all.

'You do know there is a difference between reading a book and watching a DVD right?' she barely just refrained from saying 'Duh'

'Of course.' She said mock sweetness dripping off her voice.

'Of course indeed!' Patronising S.O.B. in every class there was the teacher's pet and the teacher's red flag to his bull, and she was it.

'I know he's like totally anti-you, which is a bummer for you, but he is totally yummy and gorgeous...DIBS.' she squealed silently.

'He's all yours.' She had no interest in him whatsoever, the walking contradiction of a man hated her obviously and she was bored with it.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She skipped English lit the next day. She couldn't be bothered to go back and face _him._ Well not face exactly, but she didn't want to be there all the same. She didn't want to go through the whole process of him picking on her like he seemed to do the previous day. She didn't want to assume but she'd be blind if she didn't notice that he had taken an instant dislike to her. Arguing with him just took too much energy and she couldn't be bothered to do it, it wasn't like she was gonna be here for long anyway.

So she skipped English and took the much delayed tour of the school. Before she could go anywhere though, she came upon the library. She hesitated before she stepped into the lobby. There she came upon the receptionist. Talk about your classic fictional character- she had the whole fictional librarian down to a T with her square rimmed glasses, hair in a tight bun, loose brown sweater and even the whole uni-brow thing. Harley just barely managed not to burst out in laughter when she pursed her lips and looked at her from beneath her glasses. She reminded her of the matron from a boarding school she once went to.

She passed by a couple of computer rooms and took the elevator to the top floor as directed by the map just outside the elevator door. Her eyes grew wide and her breath caught at what she saw as soon as she got out of the elevator. The huge long rows filled with stacks and stacks of books – they seemed to go on forever. She stepped in slowly on to the lush carpet that enveloped her feet swallowing any sound that might be made by her footsteps. She turned to her left passing the different isles of different kinds of books – the encyclopaedias, the geography books, the journals and the rest. She turned back and walked the other way, she was still so afraid to breathe, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, and she didn't even know where to start. Her hands just barely glazed the books, she was so afraid to touch them. She walked till the very last isle. Then she just stopped, stood still as if frozen in time and starred. Starred at the very many different kinds of literature novels, then there were the mysteries and the fiction. She couldn't believe it, she felt like a kid in a candy store after not having candy for at least five months. She ran her hands over as many of them as she could.

'Impressive isn't it?' said a voice behind her causing her to nearly jump out of her bones. She turned to face intense brown eyes staring at her. She had been so entranced by what she was seeing in front of her that she hadn't heard him come up behind her. He was pulling out a book and she couldn't help but notice the brown leather bracelet on his wrist and the thick silver band on his middle finger. Looking back up at his face she realised that she had seen him somewhere before, she just couldn't remember where.

'Aren't you supposed to be in English class?' he asked.

Bingo!

'I could ask you the same.'

He laughed, surprising her, she hadn't expected him to laugh but he did.

'Point taken. Name's A.J'

'Harley.' She steeled herself for the jokes or the stupid comments, but they didn't come. He offered his hand for her to shake, and she took it. He had a firm handshake, no surprises there

'You the new girl.' It wasn't a question, more like a statement.

'If I hear one more person say that I'm gonna scream.'

'Whoa now! We wouldn't t want that now would we?' he smirked

'No we wouldn't? He smiled at her as his gaze ran up and down her body. She tried not to squirm; she didn't like it when people looked at her like that. But with him it was different. When he looked at her like that she felt something, she wasn't sure what it was but it was something and she didn't want to think about it much. He starred at her and slowly advanced towards her, she backed up till her back was smack against the shelf. She couldn't look at him in the eye so she looked away. He moves his hands as if searching for a place to put them. She sucked in a quick breath not sure how to react to the whole situation.

'You read this one yet?' he asked bringing a book to her eye level. She frowned and looked up to find a gap in the neatly stacked books above her head. He had been reaching for a book!

'Hmm.' she said swallowing hard trying to get words past the lump in her throat. She didn't know whether she was disappointed or not.

'Yes or no?' he asked, a flicker of amusement passing through his eyes. He was laughing at her! Now she just felt mortified and embarrassed for feeling whatever it is she had been feeling.

'No' she said firmly passing a glance at the book and moved away from him.

'I've made you uncomfortable.' he observed from underneath his thick lashes.

'No!' she denied vehemently. He stared at her for a moment, searching for something, she just didn't know what.

'Good, cos that would have made things a bit weird when I asked you to come with me.' He didn't wait for her to say anything but took her hand and dragged her out of the library, ignoring the stares the librarian was shooting their way.

'Wait, where are we going, where are you taking me?' she was confused at the sudden turn of events. What the heck? What was it with people in this town; they didn't know how to leave well alone.

'Who cares?' he didn't stop, she had to go to keep up with him.

'I do...look will you stop?' she yanked her hand violently from his screeching him to a halt. This was crazy, this whole conversation was crazy, just like every other conversation she had had with every person in this backwater town.

'What the hell? You can't just drag me to heaven knows where. You don't even know me!'

'Erm, I hate to point it out, but you don't even know anybody here right now.'

He had a point but that was beside the point right now and she told him so.

'Then what is the point?' he waited patiently for her to speak, he was looking at her in this very patronising way. She frowned at him and he knew immediately that she was not pleased.

'For the record I don't do this with every girl I meet.' She scoffed at him. 'Look let's start over. I would like to show you around.'

'Why though?' she frowned at him. A.J winced. He had been asking himself that very question ever since he got here and started talking to her. Why the hell was he bothering? He normally didn't bother with anyone, matter of fact he never did.

'Look do you want me to show you around or not?' he had to get out of here. If she said no, he would leave and get out of here no questions asked.

Harley starred at him and considered a couple of things, there something in his eyes, a mystery and something else that piqued her curiosity, something that excited her.

'Sure, why not?' she gave him a sly smile and all of a sudden A.J wasn't so sure that this was a good idea, but before he could retract his statement she took his hand and he let out a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding.

Lucas ran out of class as soon as the bell rang for the end of the lit class. He needed to catch up with

Faith, ever since the previous day he couldn't get what she had said the previous day. She looked like she was in one hell of a hurry though, he couldn't keep up.

'Will you stop?' he said when he finally caught up with her.

'Oh hey Luc.' She didn't slow down any though.

'Where is the fire?' she just smiled at him. 'faith!' he pulled her by the shoulders causing her to stop and face him.

'Are you okay?' he asked concern written all over his face. Seeing him like this reminded her of the past.

'Yeah I'm okay. I just need to find my friend Harley. She didn't turn up for class.

'Okay.' He let her go. Although he wanted to, he didn't press the subject any further. He knew they had to talk. He didn't t like the way they had left things the day before. They were friends and they had to talk about this, sooner or later.

'Do you need any help?'

'No. I'm aiyte thanks.' She cast him a small smile that barely reached his eyes. She smiled back at her sadly. 'I gotta go.' She said suddenly and turned and walked away.

'Hey Faith!' he called after her. She paused mid-step but didn't turn to face him.

'There is a game today at the river court, you wanna come?'

'Might do.' With that she was gone. Lucas frowned, it was as if she couldn't get away from him fast enough, if it weren't for yesterday he might have thought that maybe he was imagining things.

'Hey Scott, why the frown?' he felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips before he could he even turn to figure out who it was. He'd know that voice anywhere.

'Sawyer.'

'Oh now I know something must be weighing heavily on your mind, you never call me Sawyer.' She had a point, only Nathan called her Sawyer.

'You know me too well.' He joked.

'Of course, did you ever doubt it?' she tilted her head to the side, her curls tumbling down her shoulders. 'So what's up with you and Brooke now, what did you two fight about this time.' He just chuckled, what could he say to that? He and Brooke had been fighting a lot lately.

'It's not like that.' Then he went on to explain all about Faith, how she was acing weird.

'Dude, give her time. She's only been back a couple of days, sides from what you said, you guys haven't seen each other in years.'

'Yeah and it's like she doesn't want to hang out with me now that she has a new best friend.' Peyton actually laughed out loud this time. Lucas Scott was actually pouting, he sounded like a six year old child who'd just been denied his favourite desert.

'Well to be fair Luc, you also have Haylie, matter of fact you have a whole load of friends now. If I'm correct it used to be just the two of you. Now she must feel like she doesn't fit into your world anymore.'

'But that's ridiculous.' but he knew she was right. Faith herself had said just that yesterday.

'Maybe, maybe not.' But by the way she was smiling, she knew she had him.

'Maybe not what?' Brooke said cheerfully next to them.

'I'll see you later.' Peyton left. Lucas sighed. Things were still a bit awkward between the two of them. Sure they had talked and even laughed a little, Peyton's walls had gone up and they looked like they were nowhere near coming down.

'Right!' Brooke watched her go sadly. She would have been a fool to think that a day or two could sort out hers and Peyton's problems. She knew it would take ages. She turned to face another person who she still yet had to apologise to.

'Luc...' she started but he shook his head to stop her.

'Not now Brooke, I have to go.'

'But...' the rest of her sentence was swallowed by the sound of his retreating footsteps. She swallowed hard and tried to fight the tears that were threatening to take a cruise down her cheeks. Everything was so messed up, all because she couldn't get over the past. What she wanted now more than anything was to make things right again.

Faith had looked everywhere. She had searched the entire school, well just the places she remembered from back then. And she had found nothing. The last place she looked, well she wasn't really looking, and she was just passing through on her way out. The only thing that drew her to the room was the fact that when she looked through the small window there was an old movie playing at the back ground. Breakfast at Tiffany's if she wasn't mistaken. She went in, just out of curiosity, and then she saw her, sat two rows from the front and passing a bag of Haribos to some guy. Was she for real, she had been looking for her the best of her lunch hour and here she was in the school theatre watching a cheesy movie with some guy?

'Hmm-hmm!' she cleared her throat when she got to their rows causing them to look at her.

'Oh hey Faye, what are you doing here?' she smiled at her broadly.

'Gee, I don't know, maybe looking for you?' she said sarcastically folding her arms across her chest.

'Shh!' the guy next to Harley frowned at them causing Faith to frown back at him.

'Don't you shush me!' she said sternly. 'who is he?' she whispered to Harley.

'Later, now watch the movie.' Faith huffed and sat back in her chair. She had been concerned about her yet Mrs here was sat here with Mr Eat me up right now! Having the time of her life. Speaking of which she turned her head slowly and looked at him. She'd just taken a glimpse at him before and she'd though him really hot. But now that she had the advantage of looking at him unobserved he looked absolutely gorgeously fine!

'You seen everything?' she nearly jumped out of her seat at being caught, by the object of her gaze for that matter!

'Not nearly enough!' she held her head up high and chose to ignore Harley's look of amusement.

'Can you two _ever_ quiet for even a moment?' he asked them mock irritation in his face, just as the movie credits were going up.

'With the right incentive, maybe.' Faith fluttered her eyelashes and spoke huskily with a mock English accent. Harley couldn't help it, she laughed out loud. He tried to hide his smile but he failed miserably and it broke out, wide and gorgeous.

'Faith, A.J – A.J, Faith.' Harley made the introductions.

'Pleasure to meet you.' A.J said politely.

'Oh believe me, the pleasure is all mine.' Faith said huskily giving him her hand to kiss like in the Victorian ages. After briefly looking at her strangely he obliged

'Okay then!' Harley broke the trance between them forcing them t o look at her. 'Can we go now?' she didn't wait for them but simply walked out.

**_a/n I dont own oth or any of the characters, except for Harley and Riley and other characters to come. i got the inspiration for A.J from another fellow writer. hope you liked this chapter r&r please please review, i'd really like to know what you think_**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Today the boys from Bear Creek were playing the boys from Tree Hill at the river court. They weren't the official school teams, just a group of people brought together by the love of the game, despite what social clique they were in at school or their social status. For Lucas it was great to play with his old friends again. As he looked around he realised how much little time he spent here now. Whenever he was here he was mostly on his own just to clear his head. But today was different. Today both his worlds were meeting.

'Good turn out.' A voice said behind him.

'Skillz! Hey.' Lucas moved to hug his friend

'Hey Dawgg, was beginning to think that you forgot about us little people.' He teased.

'Never.'

'So you think we gonna wipe the floor with their asses?'

'Oh yeah definitely.' He smirked and starred at the other team. There had been an ongoing rivalry between Tree Hill and Bear Creek for years, be it in basketball, cheerleading or whatever. In the past people who played at the River Court never joined forces with the Ravens. They had been two different teams. But that had all changed last year. It had been Lucas's idea of course. He had just missed his friends and the game with Bear Creek had been an excuse. He had met some resistance but of course he had expected that, Nathan had also been an ass about it, that he had been kinda been hoping to avoid. The first game had been a disaster. The guys from the Ravens had tried to rule the game, and the guys from the River Court had resisted, it had been a major power struggle, one that was pretty ugly. At the end they had lost the game, by twenty points. But this year they had decided that their hatred for the Bear Creek team was greater than their issues. So they had formed one good team. He knew that if they put their all into it they'd win.

'Ready for this?' Nathan asked coming behind them.

'Hell yeah.' Lucas and Skillz said simultaneously. Skillz had a bone to pick with a certain brother who had given him a sprained wrist last year.

Nathan looked at his brother. If you'd asked him sometime last year if he'd be here let alone playing for the same team as Lucas he'd have laughed in your face. But now not only did they play on the same team, they even hung out sometimes. He could now even depend on him to have his back all the time. He trusted him with his life.

'Hey isn't that Sawyer?' Skillz asked prompting all of them to turn around in time to see Peyton getting out from her car, the passenger side.

'Wow, she never lets anybody but you and she drive that car bro, you think you being replaced?' Skillz teased. Lucas grunted and said something inaudible under his breath.

'You know I was just kidding, right bro?' Skillz said when he didn't get the light response that he had expected.

'Of course' He scoffed and smiled, but he didn't fool any of them, they could all tell that he was pretty bothered about this. They watched as Peyton and Riley walked toward them. Lucas had met the guy a few days back and he had seemed like a pretty safe guy, not bad but looking at him now he wasn't sure what the hell he had been thinking when he thought him a safe guy.

'Hey guys.' Peyton said nervously her eyes landing solidly on Lucas.

'Hey.' Nathan and Skillz said simultaneously. Lucas just nodded and grunted.

'You remember Riley right?' Lucas grunted again and Nathan cast him a funny look.

'Yeah hey man, you play ball?' Nathan asked.

'Hmm not really.' Riley said and Lucas scoffed. Everybody turned to look at him, eyebrows raised.

'There is no 'not really' about basket ball. Either you play or you don't.' He explained.

'Right.' Riley said. He didn't know what Lucas expected him to say and the way he was talking he was pretty sure the other man didn't like him. 'It was nice seeing you guys again.' He turned to Peyton 'I'm just gonna sit by the bleachers, see you later?'

'Yeah sure.' She said just as he turned to leave. 'Dude what was that all about?' she asked Lucas.

'What do you mean?'

'Dude you were totally rude.' Peyton pointed out. She frowned at him, Lucas wasn't normally this rude, matter of fact he was never rude to the people he just met, he was the one that always was receptive the most, but he had done a total one-eighty on her.

'I was just pointing out that there is no in-between you either play or you don't.' He said defensively.

'Isn't that the case with everything? You don't feel the need to point that out now do you?' she scoffed and walked off following Riley. Lucas sighed, well that could have gone better.

'Well that went well.' Nathan said sarcastically. Lucas just barely fought the urge to chuckle; he'd just thought the very same exact thing a few seconds ago.

'What the hell was that Dawgg?'

'Why does everybody keep asking me that?

'I don't know, it might have something to do with the fact that you were a total jerk just then?' then Nathan looked at him searching his face. 'If I didn't know any better I'd say that you were jealous.'

'It's a good thing you know better then isn't it?' Lucas said curtly.

'Right.' Nathan was still looking at him strangely

'And here comes girl number two, or is it one... I get confused when it comes to those two.' They all turned to see Brooke walking toward them.

'Shut up Skillz!' he bellowed at his friend.

'Yup, I think that's our queue to leave Nathan.' Skillz practically dragged Nathan away. Lucas also turned and walked away, he wasn't in the mood for this. He knew they would only end up arguing again and he really wasn't in the mood for it.

'Lucas wait!' she yelled.

'Not now Brooke.' He kept walking

'Then when?' she wailed. 'You keep saying that, but we need to talk...please Luc!' that seemed to stop him on his tracks.

'What would be the point?' he asked when he finally turned to face her.

'I just wanted to apologise.' She said softly

'For what exactly?' Brooke hesitated. Lucas looked so cold, his face looked so emotionless. She had never seen him look like that before and seeing it now kinda scared her. All the pep talks she had given herself on her way here suddenly disappeared.

'For what I said... you know, about you and Peyton.' She said hesitantly glancing around and wringing her hands. She was all a bunch of nerves right now and not knowing what Lucas was thinking was killing her right now.

'Okay apology accepted.' He turned to leave.

'Luc...!' she hated that she was pleading with him. And she hated it even more the fact that he didn't seem to care. He had never been like that to her, ever. Mostly it was him pleading with her.

'Is there anything else?'

'I love you....' she whispered. That was the only thing she could think of saying.

'I know.' He said sadly.

'Luc please, can't we talk about this?'

'What else is there to say? She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it when she found she had nothing to say.

'That's what I thought too.'

'Please Luc; can't we sort this out so that we can get past this?'

'I guess that is up to you then isn't it?' he said coolly.

'What do you mean?' she asked her heart beating a little faster, a hint of hope lurking underneath the fear. Looking at him though, that hope quickly disappeared.

'You the one who keeps bringing up the old stuff, you the one who can't let it go.'

'Can you blame?' she cried out before she could stop herself and immediately regretted it when his eyes glassed over.

'No. I guess that's part of the problem, but I can't do this anymore; I can't keep going back to the past over and over again. If we gonna stay stuck in the past then there is no point in even doing this is there?'

'You and Peyton really hurt me.'

'You don't think we know that? And I have apologised to you thousands of times about that. But why be with me if you can't let it go?'

'I want to be with you Luc, but it's not easy pretending that it never happened!' She cried.

'I never asked you to Brooke, all I ever asked you to do is let it go if we are gonna be together.' His voice cracked a bit, the first sign of emotion he'd shown in ages. 'But you can't do that can you, you keep going back there. This makes all of this pointless if you still can't forgive me.' He turned and walked off leaving Brooke speechless and struggling to breathe. Had Lucas just broken up with her? What was funny was that he and Peyton had said exactly the same thing; they didn't expect her to forget it, just to forgive them, wasn't that in reality the same thing? She didn't want to break up with him. How had they even got here? She opened her mouth to call him back but closed it again. What would she say?

Faith parked her car next to Peyton's. The game was already in session.

'Tell me again what we are doing here?' Harley moaned.

'Hot sweaty guys in vests and shorts and testosterone flying all over, need I say more.' Harley laughed at her.

'Do you ever think about anything else than sex and boys?' Faith pretended to consider it for a second.

'Nah, not really.' They both laughed as they got out of the car. She was unbelievable.

'You owe me for this you know.'

'Yah-yah, I'll make it up to you. Now come on!' she took her hand and dragged her towards the bleachers, towards the back bleachers.

'Best seats in the house.' She said just as someone sank a basket. The crowd erupted in a deafening roar of applause.

'Whoop!' yelled Faith right next to her. 'What's the score?' she nudged the guy next to her.

'There is a score board you know.' Harley pointed out, but Faith elbowed her hard on the ribs for her to keep quiet.

'Oomph.' Harley groaned in pain, but she soon understood when the guy turned around.

'Uhm, it's on the scoreboard!' he frowned in confusion marring his gorgeously chiselled face.

'Sorry, bad eyesight, lost one of my contacts, and couldn't exactly wear just one so I took them off completely. Now I'm just a bat.' Faith said smoothly. She didn't even blink or think twice. Immediately the guy's features softened in understanding.

'Oh yeah, my bad. I know exactly what you mean. Well its 38- 30 in favour of the Ravens.'

'Thank you.' She said softly, and then turned back to the game focusing intently on it. Harley frowned in confusion. Huh? What was happening? Three seconds ago her friend was acting like she wanted to jump the poor boy and now it was as if she hadn't even noticed him.

'So how come you were late?' the guy turned to Faith.

'Oh you know my friend over here couldn't decide what to wear.' She pointed at Harley. The guy looked at her sweat pants and her wife beater forcing Harley to look down at her clothes. She groaned imagining how it might look to the other guy. It had taken her under two minutes to throw her outfit together. She hadn't even thought about it and the way this guy was looking at her was making her almost self conscious...almost.

'Right!' he couldn't hide his scepticism. 'Well my mane is Sam, you are?'

'Faith. Nice to meet you Sam.' She smiled brightly at him and he smiled at her. The man had gorgeously even white teeth, which resulted in a perfectly gorgeous smile.

'You go to tree hill high?' he asked her holding her hand. Faith tried to ignore how her pulse was quickening at his touch.

'Yeah, just moved here actually.' She said softly.

'Oh yeah, was just wondering why I never seen you before.' He brushed his long locks back from his forehead giving Faith a chance to really look at him. She had thought he had looked hot before when she had looked at him sideways but now he was looking straight at her and she saw that he was absolutely gorgeous. His eyes were a gorgeous deep blue and he had thick eyelashes that swept across his cheek bones every time he blinked.

Harley glanced from one to the other. O-kay! She had seen this happening a lot of times with her brother and he knew that she did not need to be here for this.

'Right then, I'm going to get some drinks.' She hated to interrupt but she also didn't want Faith to worry about her. She was stood there waiting for either one of them to look up and feeling like an idiot.

She was leaving when Faith finally looked up.

'Hey where you going?'

'To get some drinks.' She nodded toward the ice-cream van. 'You guys want anything?'

'Uhmm...' faith hesitated and looked at Sam in question and Sam just shrugged.

'Yeah, just get me a coke.' They both looked at Sam.

'Uhmm. Yeah a coke will be fine thanks.'

'Righto then. Will be back.' Not till the end of the game if I can help it, she thought to herself. She cast an eye at towards the game just in time to see Skillz sink another basket. She yelled in excitement. At least him she knew and they were friends...well sort of. The game started up again and this time the basket went to the other team. They roared in excitement. They were more of them than she had realised. Obviously this game was important because she had heard everybody talking about it at school ever since she arrived. And it was obvious that the guys that supported the other team had travelled a long way to come see the game.

Nathan, at least she thought that was his name, he took the ball but it got snatched by number 33 from the other team as he was passing it to Tim, she thought his name was. Just as he was about to shoot, Lucas slammed the ball against the hoop board blocking the basket. Tree hill went mad, she even found herself smiling. Impressed. He caught the ball as it came down and passed it back to one of his team mates. She just stood there just a few minutes mesmerised at him. They passed the ball between them but when Skillz passed it on to Tim, he missed and it came hurtling straight for her. She didn't even have the time to duck so she did the only thing she could think of. She caught it; otherwise it would have hit her straight in the face and given her a huge gooseberry.

'Nice catch, you play?' the next thing Lucas was standing there in front of her holding his hands out for the ball.

'Not really.' She threw the ball at him. She had never, not even once spoken to him and she had only ever seen him from afar. She had heard so much about him that it felt kind of weird speaking to him now....not that they were even talking right now.

'Then what exactly?'

'I dabble.'

'Dabble...isn't that expression used when referring to art?' amusement danced in his eyes.

'It's the only word I could think of to describe it.

'Terrible English on your part then?' he smiled at her, he had a gorgeous smile.

'Hmm, first language is Spanish.'

'Really?' he asked incredulously. She laughed at the look on his face.

'No, not really.'

'Yo Luc, you coming?' Skillz yelled behind him.

'Yeah man we still have a game going here.' Yelled someone else behind him.

'Guess you should go huh?' she bit her lip.

'Yeah I should' He starred down at her. He turned to leave. 'We should 'dabble' sometime.' He winked at her

'Yeah, we should.' She smiled at him as he went back to his team mates and the game. She smiled to herself and shook her head. They ran in different circles so they would most likely never talk again. She didn't even know what the hell that was back there. It had been kinda nice though.

Brooke sat on the bleachers with Peyton, Riley, Haley and Bevin. She was still thinking about her conversation with Lucas a few hours back wondering how she could fix it then she saw Lucas run toward that girl, Riley's sister to get the ball. She didn't think anything of it, there was nothing to worry about. But then when he saw him linger on her she began to worry, her insecurities reared their heads. She couldn't help but notice the way he smiled at her. He used to smile at her like that when they first started dating.

'I didn't know that Luc and your sister knew each other.' He said casually to Riley.

Riley frowned looking at where Brooke was pointing. He had been so busy talking to Peyton that he hadn't noticed the recent events of the game. 'They don't.'

'Oh, they seem pretty cosy for people that don't know each other.' She winced at the sound of her own tone, but couldn't help adding. To anyone who didn't know her she seemed to be making idle chatter but those who knew her knew better than that as was confirmed by the look of disappointed and frustration on Peyton's face. She frowned at her warning her not to even go there. Brooke cast an apologetic look towards her. She hadn't meant to sound like the jealous wife but she couldn't help it. Luc wasn't talking to her at the moment and she remembered back when he used to smile at her like that, back when they didn't fight all the time. She missed that. How could Peyton understand that now with her new boy toy over there?

'My sister is just friendly that's all.' Peyton snorted at that. That girl was as friendly as a tarantula. She was cold, unmoving and hardly ever smiled.

'What?' Riley asked Peyton.

'Hmm...Nothing at all.' She'd be damned if she said anything bad about his sister to him. She had seen the way they were together that he wouldn't take kindly to it as he was very protective of her. He frowned at her and looked at her intently and she knew that he knew that she was lying, but he chose to ignore it.

'Okay he said simply and stared again at his sister and Lucas. He hoped it was nothing two worry about coz he knew guys like Lucas Scott, hell he was one of them. They were all the love them and leave then type, breaking hearts wherever they went. Funny thing though looking at him for the first time he would have pegged him for the sensitive one-woman man type. Goes to show about first impressions...never could trust them. Not only was he not he also was a jerk, he had proved that before the game, and the way he had acted, she didn't want him anywhere near his sister.

When the game ended with Tree hill having won by three points, Harley went to find Faith and Sam. It had been a tense a really violent game at the end. Most guys had bruises and black eyes. One even had a dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist, courtesy of Skillz. He had seemed possessed and had rammed in to the guy, all six foot three of him

'Hey...there you are. Where you been?' right, so Faith still had lover boy attached t the hip.

'Hey...just been, you know mingling.' She tossed them their drinks.

'Yeah...I saw that, and so did everybody.'

'Yeah so?' the way Faith was talking it was as if it was a bad thing.

'oh no, nothing, just pointing out that people saw that's all...thought you didn't know Luc?'

'I don't. I just happened to catch the ball, and he came to get it that's all.' She didn't even know why she was feeling so defensive all of a sudden. They had just exchanged a few words but Faith was acting as if she had committed some major crime.

'Hmm...!'

'What?' she was getting tired of the little remarks that she had no idea what they meant.

'Nothing.'

'Then let it go.' She said sternly leaving no room for negotiation. She didn't know why she was getting so riled about it. It was nothing and faith making a big deal out of it was making her make a big deal out of it.

'I'll see you at the car, it was nice meeting you Sam.' she left before Faith could say anything.

Faith groaned as she watched her go. She should have let I go. If she had learned anything in the past few days she had spent with Harley it was that she was a bit sensitive when it came to the popular kids, especially guys.

'What was that all about?'

'Me being a major jack ass.'

'Happens to the best of us.' Sam smiled at her obviously trying to cheer her up.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Harley didn't know why she was so annoyed and riled up, after all Faith was just being a girl, and she hadn't exactly said anything that wasn't true. it really was not a big deal, or at least it shouldn't be.

'Hey.' Peyton said, suddenly next to her, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. Harley just barely refrained from rolling her eyes. She was not in the mood for this. Peyton saw her turn her head aside and knew that she was either rolling her eyes or swearing under her breath. She didn't even know why she bothered, this obviously wasn't going anyway and she had told herself that she wouldn't bother anymore because it was more trouble than it was worth. But here she was again...just like she had done times before, talk about being gluten for punishment. But she surprised when instead she turned and faced her.

'Hey.' She even smiled. Peyton's jaw dropped dramatically causing Harley to chuckle.

'What?' Peyton just shook her head, she couldn't speak. She had never, ever, not in a million years seen her smile let alone laugh.

'I am capable of laughing you know.' It was easy to read her thoughts.

'Huh, could have fooled me, thought your face had a permanent frown etched on it.' She said recovering from her previous shock. Harley laughed out loud this time causing Peyton to whirl around and stare at her.

'Huh, who knew that Goldilocks was capable of making jokes?'

'Goldilocks? You gave me a nick name?'

'Don't read too much into it Blondie, couldn't be bothered to say your name.'

'Hmm.' She couldn't believe that they were talking. They had been so much hostility between them that she hadn't thought this ever possible.

Harley looked at Peyton, she was smiling, and her face was relaxed. She wasn't that bad, he decided. She was actually alright. She decided right then and there that if Goldie wanted to hang out then it would be cool with her, after all that's what Riley had wanted wasn't it?

'Hey, there is a party today at the Scott beach house. You wanna come?' she knew that she was skating on thin ice, they had just talking only a few minutes ago and history proved that the girl was an unpredictable fire cracker. Anything could set her off.

'Don't push it Goldie.' She warned

'Just thought I'd try that's all.'

'Hey, ready to go?' Faith came up behind her.

'Yeah...you remember Peyton don't you?' Faith and Peyton exchanged polite greetings.

'Hey what you guys talking about?' Riley was suddenly there as well all smiles. Then he stopped abruptly, his face transforming to that which displayed shock, then that of pleasure. 'Hey...you are talking in the first place.'

Peyton watched as the smile on Harley's face suddenly disappeared and the next second it was as if it had never been there in the first place.

'Yeah, who'd have thought huh?' Peyton said trying to ease the tension that was building between the two siblings. It was obvious that Harley was still mad at her brother.

'Right, we are gonna take off.' Faith threw the keys to Harley so that she could drive them out of there. She didn't know what had happened between them but she knew that Harley had been pretty mad at Riley and looking at her right now she didn't look like she was in the mood to speak it him at all. Harley cast her a grateful glance.

'Bobbi!' Riley said as Harley got into the car. She stopped for a second and looked at him, and then she got into the car slamming the door shut.

'I guess we'll see you guys later?' Faith smiled at them briefly before got into the passenger seat and the engine purred as Harley drove off.

Riley sighed as he watched them go. Obviously Harley was still ticked at him.

'Bobbi?' Peyton asked

'Yeah, I've been calling her that since she was five. Long story.' He explained when Peyton looked at him quizzically

'I guess she's still mad at you huh?'

'Nobody can hold a grudge like my sister, she's just punishing me, she'll get over it when she decides the time is right or when I have made it up to her.' he hated it when they weren't speaking. It didn't happen often but she was actually a bit sensitive at the moment. He didn't know what was going on with her lately. She was usually a little testy every time they moved and this time he was sure that his behaviour hadn't helped either, leaving her all by herself.

Nathan Scott smiled as he surveyed the party. It was a good turnout, but then again this was Tree hill, people knew how to party. And the fact that they had won didn't hurt either. There was a lot more people than there usually would have been seeing as it hadn't been just a Ravens game; it felt like it was the whole of Tree hill.

'Hey there you are. I couldn't find you.' Haley came behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He smiled and squeezed her hand. 'It's crazy huh?'

'Crazy is not even the word. Dan is going to go mental when he sees this place, coz it's going be really messy when everyone is gone.'

'So we'll just clean it up.'

'Uhuh, and which one of these people do you think will stay to help clean up?' she was right. As soon as the party was over all these people would be gone and they would be left with a huge mess to clean up. But right now that didn't matter. People were having fun and so was he.

'Relax Hales, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.' he smiled down at her reassuringly.

Haley just grunted in response. Nathan laughed and dropped a quick kiss on her lips.

'And what was that for?' she asked smiling at her husband.

'Because I love you.'

'Aww, I love you too.' She reached onto her tip toes and kissed him.

Brooke sat on the porch railing outside sipping on a really flat pint of beer looking into the party through the French window.

'See, I want that.' She slurred to Peyton.

'What?' Peyton shifted a bit on her seat, if you could call the railing that. Damn this thing was uncomfortable, why were they even sat on this thing?

'That....' she pointed to Nathan and Haley who were being all lovey dovey. Peyton smiled at her friends. They gave the rest of them hope, hope that love was out there for all of them. They had gotten married really young but they seemed to make it work. 'Lucas won't even look at me.' Brooke moaned. Peyton groaned. She really did not need to hear this. She had heard it countless times before and she was sure she'd be hearing it for a long time to come yet.

'I mean why can't we be like Nathan and Tutor girl?' she whined leaning further out of the porch. She was so drunk.

'Maybe coz you not?' she pulled Brooke off the railing before she fell off and broke something. 'Look Brooke just talk to Lucas alright? But you might want to sober up first, doubt he'd wanna see you like this.' She couldn't hide the irritation in her voice. She was sick and tired of picking up the pieces every time there was a fall out between them, which was happening way to often lately. It was just becoming irritating at best. And alright she had said that she wanted all three of them to go back to being friends like before, with Brooke as her best friend and dating Lucas of course, and she knew that meant that she would have to hear about their relationship, both good and bad. But she had thought that considering their history it would be kind of a no-brainner that she really didn't want to be hearing about their relationship, the bad bits and especially not the good bits.

'Harsh P. Sawyer.'

'Yeah, but true. Come on.' She pulled her and she staggered through the house towards the bathroom. What was the point in coming to a party if she was going to be babysitting people the whole time then she might as well just stayed at home.

'I'll be waiting out here.' She pushed Brooke into the bathroom and pulled the door closed behind her.

'Urgh, what is it about parties that makes people form these massive queues in the bathroom?' Harley scrunched up her nose in distaste holding up two tumblers. She offered one to Peyton.

'What is it?' Peyton eyed her suspiciously. They weren't exactly the best of friends; it might be spiked for all she knew. Harley laughed at her suspicious face.

'Jeez! Goldie you'd think that I had poisoned you before.' Her eyes twinkled with amusement. 'It's just an olive branch that's all' She thrust the cup in her face again.

'Right _Bobbi,_ you've hated me ever since you got here...'

'A week ago.' She interjected

'Yeah, whatever. The point is you hate me, you've made that perfectly clear that you hate me...'

'I wouldn't say hate exactly..., it's too strong a word...more like...dislike, really strongly.' She took a sip of her drink smiling into her cup.

'Do you ever let someone finish their sentences?' Peyton growled her voice drenched in frustration.

'Erm...' she pretended to think for a second. 'Nah, never.' Peyton growled again and Harley laughed out loud.

'This is not funny.'

'It is actually, all I did was offer you a drink and you actually growled at me. You should have seen your face.' She clutched her stomach as her body convulsed in hysterics. Peyton just stared at her as if she had grown a second head which made her just laugh harder. People around them turned around to stare at her as she slid against the wall to the floor laughing so hard that tears began streaming down her cheeks. Even those around her started giggling, they didn't know what she was laughing at but it was infectious. Peyton couldn't believe how she was going on and on and as she watched her she felt a gurgle of laughter bubble inside of her. She pressed her lips together trying not to laugh but then it escaped and she giggled. Once the giggles escaped they kept on coming. And the next thing she knew she was laughing her head off, and she couldn't stop. Her knees buckled and she collapsed onto the floor right next to Harley. A few more people joined but Peyton had the feeling that they were laughing at them now but she didn't care. She hadn't laughed like this in forever. And that is how Brooke found them a minute later, rolling on the floor, clutching their aching sides and hollering in laughter.

'Peyton?' she asked bewildered and that look soon changed to that of disgust as she realised who was with her. 'Oh, it's you' She said to Harley. For some reason the look on Brooke's face made her laugh even harder and that caused Peyton to laugh harder as well.

Lucas was on his was outside when he noticed that everybody was heading towards the bathroom.

'What's going on?' he asked Nathan and Haylie who were heading that way as well.

'Don't know,' Nathan shrugged

'But there is only one way to find out.' Haley dragged him with her. When they got there was a huge ring of people near the bathroom door. They pushed forward till they were at the front. He frowned at what they found there, he didn't understand it. Everybody seemed to be laughing; Peyton and Harley seemed to be in the middle of it.

'What's so funny?' he asked the girl next to him.

'Ain't got a clue, you can ask them though, they been at it for ages.' He pointed at the girls on the floor. He chuckled, he had to, and they looked absolutely ridiculous rolling on the floor like that no wonder everyone was laughing.

'Peyton?' she swivelled around to look at him, but that seemed to make her laugh harder. He chuckled. He had never ever seen her laugh like that, not the entire time he had known her. They clutched their sides' tears streaming down both their faces.

'Peyton you are going to make yourself sick.' Haley said her voice filled with worry. Peyton shook her head, pointing to Harley. She was trying to speak, but obviously couldn't.

'Oh no! Who made her laugh?' Riley said horrified. He had just been outside and had come back to find a whole load of people gathered around the bathroom door.

'What's wrong with her laughing?' someone asked behind him. Riley frowned; it was the guy that was always hanging around his sister. He ignored him.

'Look what you've done Bobbi, the poor girl can't talk.' He reprimanded. Lucas looked around to see who he was talking to before he realised that he was talking to his sister. Bobbi? He thought her name was Harley.

'Not- my- fault.' She managed through her laughter.

'Of course not.' He said sarcastically. He took them both by their arms but Harley or Bobbi or whatever her name was slid right through to the floor.

'Let me help.' the guy who had spoken before offered.

'I can manage just fine.' Riley snapped.

'Uh-huh, and how you gonna do that? I mean don't get me wrong, they skinny an' ol but the two of them heavy...' he didn't get to finish his sentence as he doubled in pain after a sharp kick shot at his ankle courtesy of Harley Taylor.

Laughter but she failed, especially seeing the look on his face.

'Come on.' He pulled her up by the arm as Riley helped Peyton who by this time was just giggling. They led them outside leaving everybody to disperse.

'What the hell was that?' Nathan was still confused. He didn't get what was so funny and why everybody had been laughing.

'That has got to be the weirdest thing I had ever seen.' Haley agreed. Lucas just smirked and was heading for the door to see if they were okay when Brooke grabbed him by the arm.

'Hey.' She said raspily.

'Hey.' He turned to face her.

'I've been looking for you.'

'Okay.' A pause followed that statement. He didn't know what she wanted him to say and to be honest he didn't know how they moved from this.

'I've missed you; I miss us, the way we used to be.' She took a step towards him till she was resting her hands against the front of his shirt. His eyes narrowed at her wondering what she was up to.

'Yeah me too.' He said reluctantly. He did miss the way things used to be, before all the crazy and the drama.

'Really?' she asked her eyes big, and rounded full of hope, reminding him of the girl that he fell in love with.

'Yeah really.' The next thing he knew she was kissing him. He stilled for a second not sure how to react but when she wound her arms around him he felt himself respond. How could he not, he had missed this, her, and they were always good at this.

'So we cool?' she smiled at him. He looked down at her. He knew they should talk some more but he was tired of fighting about this, and besides she had said she was sorry hadn't she? So they were good and he told her so.

'Yet!' she jumped and wound her arms around his neck again. He couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm.

'So I take it that's what you wanted to hear?'

'You bet I did, I hate fighting with you.' She pouted her lips and he couldn't help but kiss her.

'Me too.' And he meant it. He just wished they could go a long time without fighting about one thing or another.

Riley and A.J led the girls out and sat them by the swings, away from all the noise. Peyton's laughter was reduced to a few giggles here and there and a few hiccups. Harley though was still going strong. A.J stared at her bewildered, he had never seen anybody laugh that loud for that long.

'How long is she gonna go like this for?' he asked her brother. He just grunted, didn't even look at him. Okay so he didn't like him, it wasn't like he cared.

'Right then...' He bent his head till he was at her level. 'Let me know when you are done, will you?' he got a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

'Smoke?' he offered the other guy but he simply looked at him in disdain. A.J just shrugged and leaned against the tree. He took a drag out of his cigarette and blew it out in rings. By now Peyton had completely stopped.

'Feel better now?' Riley asked her folding his hands across his chest.

'Much.' Peyton said defiantly. She didn't like the way he was making her feel like she was facing her second grade teacher. She had always made her feel like she was doing something wrong, and she felt like that now.

Two minutes later Harley was still at it. Her laughter would subside for a moment but then just before it totally died she would start again.

'You have to be kidding me...still?' Lucas said coming behind them with Brooke, Nathan and Haley.

'You telling me, I been sat here listening to this.' He grunted before he took another puff of his cigarette.

'Hey Sawyer, feeling better?' Nathan asked his eyes glittering with amusement.

'Yes, very much thank you.' She replied with mock politeness.

'Well looks like your buddy over there is still going strong.' Brooke piped up behind Lucas's arm. There was a tone of disdain in her voice, but Peyton didn't know whether it was directed at her or Harley.

'She has a sense of humour.' She said bitchily. She swore under her breath as Brooke's mouth tightened in a straight thin line. She didn't know what it was with her today. She was a bit off with Brooke, maybe it had something to do with the whole thing about her being drunk and unloading all her Lucas related problems on her shoulders? But it was more than that; she had been annoyed with her even before that. She could see that they had sorted everything out though, by the look of things...although considering their history she wondered how long they were going to last without another blow out.

'Oh for fuck's sake!' A.J abruptly stood up, flicking his cigarette a few metres away startling all of them. He reached and grabbed Harley by the forearms and brutally crushed her lips under his. Silence fell over everybody as they all stared at him speechless. Silent gasps could be heard on the background. Peyton couldn't pick her jaw off the floor; she couldn't believe it and she didn't dare turn around to look at Riley. He must be fuming, if he took the time to wipe his jaw off the floor or managed to stop his eyes from popping out, she later realised. He was sensitive enough about any guy going near his sister without one practically assaulting her in front of him.

Harley on the other hand seemed to be frozen. A.J tilted her head to the side and deepened the kiss. Nathan let out a wolf whistle and Haley jabbed him in the ribs. He loved this!! When A.J broke off he looked a bit confused and surprised even, then he smiled that corky smile of his and Peyton thought that maybe she had imagined all of it.

Harley opened her mouth once or twice to say something but then closed when nothing came out. A thousand emotions flirted over her face and she couldn't seem to decide what to feel at the moment.

'It was either that or slap you.' He said simply and walked off, lighting another cigarette.

'You...you...' Riley started after him, his face stormy and his fingers curled in a tight fist but Nathan pulled him back.

'Leave him dude.' Riley just looked like he wanted to kill something or someone.

'Oh-my-goodness!' Peyton said to Harley, and then she started laughing.

'Oh god, don't get her started.' Riley groaned.

'Yeah...I think we are running out of people to kiss her.' Brooke said snidely.

'Hey...leave her alone.' Harley suddenly piped up all traces of laughter gone from her face.

'Oh...she speaks.' Riley said.

'Yes she does.' She said in an English accent standing up straight, shoulders back and head held high and smiled at her brother, the first genuine smile she had given him in ages. The guys smiled with her which seemed to irritate Riley even more.

'It's not funny Harley.' He snapped and everybody stopped and looked at him, including Harley who was a little bit confused. He was miffed at her about something; he never ever called her Harley, not unless he was annoyed with her.

'Uh, I think you'll find that it is which is why I was laughing.' She shook her head in confusion, he couldn't be annoyed anther about that, could he? She smiled at her brother but he didn't return the smile.

'That's not what I mean and you know it.' He ground out through his clenched teeth.

'No I don't know what you are talking about.' She said softly stepping closer to him, trying to understand what was going on with him.

'You just stood there and let him kiss you!'

'As opposed to what? Shoving him against the tree and totally ravishing his gorgeous self.' She said dramatically trying to inject some humour into a conversation that was getting way too serious for her.

'This is serious Harl.' He bellowed making her jump. 'You can't just go around kissing people you don't even know, especially scroungers like him.' Suddenly she had just had enough. Why was he so angry?

'He is kidding right?' this time she addressed Peyton, but she simply shrugged. She didn't even know what was going on anymore, she had lost track of the conversation a long time ago. She looked back and forth between brother and sister. Riley looked so angry and she didn't really understand why.

'I'm serious.'

'No...See, you are not, you can't be. Coz aside from the fact that this is none of your business whatsoever, I didn't kiss him, he kissed me.' She said defiantly

'That's coz you were busy going on like there was no tomorrow.' Brooke said from somewhere.

'You shut up!' they both yelled making her jump.

'I didn't exactly see you stopping him either!'

'That's coz he never gave me a chance!'

'I'd say you had plenty of chances, you just didn't want to take them!' Harley groaned out loud in frustration throwing her hands up in the air, there was no point in this, they seemed to be going round in circles, and she didn't even know why they were having the conversation in the first place.

'Fine, you know what, he kissed me and I liked it!' she said defiantly. She was tired of defending herself to someone who wasn't even prepared to listen to reason. 'Yeah, that's right, I would do it again too!'

'No you won't' He warned.

'Oh yes, and who knows next time might even go the whole way.' She turned around to leave but he grabbed her.

'What is the matter with you, why are you acting like this?'

'What's the matter with me? What's the matter with you? Not only are you making such a big deal out of nothing, you are being hypocritical.' She looked pointedly at Peyton who blushed and looked down. 'I don't wanna talk about this anymore.'

'It is my business you know.' He said in a low growl after a long pause.

'Yeah and how do you figure that?'

'Because I actually like it here this time, and I want to stay.' Everybody froze, their ears pricking to hear what they were on about. They had tuned out the conversation and were about to move off to leave them to it when they heard Riley's comment. Now they were curious. They looked from one to the other.

'You know I have no power over that.'

'In the past that may have been true, but if you continue this, we'll be forced to leave, again.'

Her breath caught as huge hot lump logged in her throat. She looked around her nervously to find that they still had an audience and they were all looking at her. He couldn't possible be bringing that up, not here in front of all these people.

'I don't know what you mean.' She whispered softly her voice cracking up. _Please don't, not here, not in front of them. _She silently begged him.

'He's just like him!' he shouted. 'And you know how that's gonna end, the same as before, then we'll have no choice but to leave. For once in your life think of somebody else that is not you and don't do this!' He had! She couldn't believe that he had brought it up, in front of all these people. She could feel their eyes burrowing into her from all directions. The tears that she had been just trying to keep at bay sprang free and flowed down her hot flushed cheeks. The pain and the humiliation were unbearable. A hot tight fist closed over her chest making it so hard for her to breathe. How could he do that to her, why would he do that to her?

'You don't have to worry, as far as I'm concerned, you can stay here as long as you like. I'm pretty sure that there is not a chance in hell that would happen twice.' She didn't wait for him to say anything she just turned around and left.

Riley swore under his breath, he turned around to find Peyton glaring at him angrily.

'What?' he growled.

'You are a jerk.' She spat out at him. She was seething with anger, how could he treat his sister like that, especially over such a trivial thing like a kiss.

'Stay out of this Peyton, you don't know what's going on, It's none of you business.' He was right, she didn't know what was going on, and it was none of her business and she told him so.

'But here is what I do know; you were so busy tearing strips off her that you missed it, the first smile she has given you in ages. She gave you an olive branch and you totally missed it. And you really hurt her!' she had never seen someone going from being overcome with hysterics of laughter to being totally demolished with pain in such a short time. Now she didn't know much about Harley but she did know that the girl had her pride, she would never let anyone see her down, but she had seen her crying today and the pain in her eyes had damn near broke her heart.

'You not the guy I thought you were Riley Taylor.' She was disappointed in him; she had thought he was better than that.

'Yeah well happens like that sometimes.' With that he walked off leaving everybody starring after him.

'Ooh, trouble in paradise already?' Brooke said looking at Peyton.

Nathan and Lucas both reprimanded.

'Okay fine, bad joke.' She shrugged innocently.

'Didn't sound like a joke.' Peyton's eyes were cold as they turned to her friend.

'All I'm saying is seems like they are not as close as they want everyone to think...and you have to wonder though what it is that she did.' she said so smugly that it made Peyton sick. She knew that Brooke was just being Brooke, loving a bit of gossip, and having something to hold over a person she didn't like. But there was a time and this was definitely not it.

'Leave it Brooke.' Haley warned after seeing Peyton stormy face.

'I'm just saying...'

'Well don't!' Peyton finally snapped as she got up and stormed off. Brooke gasped and huffed.

'What's got into her?' Nathan raised an eyebrow at her silently asking if she really needed to ask.

_**a/n: in this chapter i thought i would reveal a bit more about the Taylor's past, Harley's demons.**_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Harley stumbled into the house, her vision blurred by the endless tears that kept welling up in her eyes. She wiped them angrily from her eyes, but they were replaced a few seconds later by new ones. She could feel them burning all the way to her throat. She hadn't cried since forever and she hated that she was crying now. She walked silently with her head down to the drinks cabinet and swiped a bottle of tequila gold. She didn't want anybody else to see her crying. Enough people had seen her as it was.

'Harley!' she could hear Faith shouting her name from somewhere behind her. She just lifted her hand and waved but didn't stop. She couldn't talk to her right now, not when she felt like absolute shit. So she quickly walked out of the house and started walking. She had no idea where she was going and she didn't care, she just needed to be alone.

Faith watched her as she walked out without even turning to her; she frowned at her, so much for friendship. She had been feeling guilty because the minute they got here she had hooked up with Sam and they had been together since, yet it seemed Mrs over there hardly missed her.

Harley headed for the beach, but when she got there she still felt the need to keep going, she wasn't ready to stop yet, so she walked along the sandy beach. The wind blew against her, blowing the hair out her face. She took off her shoes and walked barefoot. She had always loved the beach, the feel of the sand in between her toes, the wind blowing against her face and sending her hair flying, the smell of the ocean. It always made her feel free and liberated. But today she didn't feel like that. Today she felt betrayed, hurt and so angry. She was angry at herself, at her brother...just angry in general. She couldn't believe that he had brought that up. They had automatically silently agreed that they would never talk about that. It didn't matter how mad at her he was he never ever brought it up. But this time he had and in front of strangers too. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. She had blocked that night out for a reason, never even thought about it. But now thanks to him a load of images were attacking her, flashing through her head at the same time, making her head hurt. A sob escaped her throat; she hadn't thought about it in such a long time that she had actually forgotten some parts of it.

She had been walking for such a long time and she had totally zoned out that she hadn't realised where she was, and as it was she didn't even know where she was anyway. But there were rocks on to her right so she climbed them. On the other side there was a grass land that seemed to go on forever. You couldn't see it when you were on the beach because of the height of the rocks. It was simply beautiful, that's the only way she could describe it. Suddenly she forgot about everything else but the scenery in front of her. The grass just looked like a green blanket carefully lain on the field. There were few flowers that were just blooming and some of them had actually bloomed. She didn't know what they were called and she didn't care. She took a tentative step on the grass like a child taking her first step. The grass felt so soft like a cushion. She smiled through her tears then she continued walking down the hill, wanting to see where it led too and because she couldn't not. After seeming like she had walked for ages she came on to the edge where there was a forest of tall trees. She took a deep breath, maybe she should go back, but she had never been one to do anything she should do, so she put her shoes back on and walked on through the forest and the bushes till she reached another wall of rocks. But this one was taller than the one before and rougher. There was no way she could climb that, not without a rope anyway. She smiled at the thought; she would come back when she had a rope and trainers. It would make a good climb, and she hadn't had one in ages, not with all the moving around.

She turned around to leave when she spotted a crack a few meters from where she was standing. She slowly walked towards it and realised that it wasn't a crack after all, but an opening in between the rocks. She could hear a soft roar from the other side. Curiosity got the better of her as always and she went through. It was a dark tunnel except from the openings on both sides shinning through. What she saw when she got to the other side took her breath away. The rocks had formed a tall wall in a circle and there were trees right next to them and right in the middle there was a big natural pool. On the other side of the pool was a waterfall feeding water to the pool. It explained the roaring sound she had heard when she was on the other side...the sound of the water crashing on to the rocks. Around the pool there were water reeds and at the edge of the pool were water lilies. The only time she had ever seen those was on one of those nature programmes or the other. She didn't have enough words to describe what she was seeing. The only thing she should think of was that it was breath that it was breathtakingly beautiful. The moonlight shone against the water casting a beautiful glow. That was Mother Nature for you. Her brother would love this place she thought silently, and that tiny thought was enough to bring all her new found joy crashing down. And all of a sudden all the feelings she had been feeling before came rushing in attacking her all at once that she doubled over to the ground. But what she was feeling mostly now was pain, intense excruciating pain that she had felt back then all those years ago and pain she was feeling now. She felt sick to her stomach with it. Fresh new tears streamed down her cheeks as a sob escaped. She was choking, she couldn't breathe anymore. She saw a flash of _his_ face...flash of the car...she could hear the sirens. All of a sudden she was shaking, trembling, sobs wrecking her body. She couldn't take it anymore. She opened the bottle of tequila that she had forgotten about and took a long gulp welcoming the burning sensation the liquid provided in her throat. She kept drinking till the bottle was half empty, trying to obliterate the images in her head. But it didn't help any; she could still see them as clear as daylight. All she wanted to do was forget everything, so she drank and drank and before she knew it the bottle was empty. Then everything seemed to disappear one by one. She picked up the bottle and tossed it aside but that seemed to take all the energy out of her as she rocked over and fell to the ground. She was so drunk. She sat up and tried to get up but her legs and head protested. She felt so woozy, her stomach churned and she felt bile rising up from her stomach...she was going to be sick, that was Mr Jose for you, good at making you forget but totally bad at co-operating with your insides. She managed to get on her knees just before she threw up. She crawled a few meters away and lay on her side. She tried to keep her eyes open but aside from the fact that her eyelids were too heavy, the moonlight hurt her eyes and she kept seeing two of everything. So she closed them and before she knew it she had drifted off to a fitful sleep.

Peyton felt she had given her enough time to calm down, that's why she hadn't immediately gone to look for her coz she had known that she needed time to herself to deal with things. People were milling out of the Scott house when she began searching for her. at one time she had thought that she had gone home but then both her car and Faith were still here. After about ten minutes and still no luck worry was creeping into her bones but she shook it off, everything was fine, she told herself.

'you seem Harley?' she asked a very drunk Bevin.

'who?' she slurred back at her.

'Never mind.' She wasn't going to be any use to her at all. She moved on then she spotted Skillz. she sighed with relief, surely he'd be able to help, and he always knew where everybody was at the party.

'hey, you seen Harley?'

'Not since she was laid out on the floor with you.' He teased her but when she didn't smile back he frowned. 'No, is everything alright?' she filled him in on what happened outside, the short version anyway, that she had a fight with her brother.

'Don't worry P, she'll be aiyte.' He said in his usual casual manner laying a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. 'She'll be in one of the bedrooms or somewhere doing some nasty things with crazy boy.' He smiled at her and she smiled back. Maybe he was right. But that theory went flying out of the window when she spotted said crazy boy's tongue buried deep someone's throat at the corner. She might have thought that it was Harley only that arm didn't look an arm that belonged to someone who was African American did it?

'Or not.' Skillz said next to her. she felt anger bubble inside of her and she marched over to him and yanked him off the girl with his collar. For a moment he looked surprised but he recovered quickly.

'Oh hey there Sawyer, I know you really want me but as you can see I'm already taken so you are gonna have to get in line.' He smirked at her and turned to the girl in front of him. 'Now where were we?' he whispered to her and she smiled adoringly up at him. Peyton groaned in disgust.

'are you providing a service or something today because you seem to be kissing _a lot _of girls tonight?'

The girl he was kissing broke off from him and gasped horrified and disgusted. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off with a hard slap across with a slap across the cheek sending his head rearing back.

'Ouch, guess won't be calling me then?' she looked at him disbelievingly, before she stormed off. 'I'll take it as a no then.' He rubbed his cheek, his tongue running on the inside of his cheek to soothe the sting.

'what did you do that for?' he said through ground teeth turning his frustration to the cause of him going home alone tonight. But her eyes seemed to be blazing with fury. Not a good sign!

'have you any idea what you've done?' She yelled furiously. Okay so she was mad, really mad.

'I do not have the slightest idea what you are going on about, but I do know, you have never looked sexier Sawyer.' He bit his lip as his eyes roamed over her body shamelessly. Peyton groaned in frustration.

'You are unbelievable! Harley and Riley were tearing the strips off each other because of the little stunt you pulled earlier!' if looks could kill he would have burst into flames right there and then. His heart skipped a bit when he realised what she was talking about the kiss but he quickly shut that feeling away as fast as it had appeared. So he simply shrugged, 'like you said I was only providing a service. He wanted her to stop and it helped didn't it? not my problem if he didn't like my methods.'

'Do you even care?' she screamed at him ready to tear him to pieces.

'What the hell is going on?' Faith asked as she came up behind them with hand in hand with some guy. They just glanced at her but didn't really acknowledge her. A.J looked at Peyton and just shrugged. 'not really.'

'She was upset, now she's gone missing, because of you!'

'Oh don't be so dramatic, she's probably off somewhere leaking off her wounds. And I'm not gonna take responsibility for something that I didn't do.'

'Do you think she is the type to go off and lick her wounds?'

'Don't know, she is a girl isn't she? You tend to do those kinds of things, sides maybe she's gone home.'

'And left her car?'

'She might have been drunk.'

'It's a new 2008 chevrolet camaro, would you leave it?' Faith had been about to walk off since they were obviously ignoring her when she heard them talk about a camaro. There was only one person who drove a 2008 chevrolet camaro...Harley.

'Will somebody tell me what the hell is going on?'

'Look Peyton I don't know, and most importantly I don't care, not my problem.' He said cockily and stalked off. Peyton saw red, of all the egotistical, selfish jerks. She grabbed the nearest thing she could get her hands on and threw it at him hitting him of the head. he was lucky it was a plastic soda bottle, but it still hurt.

'Ouch! What is the matter with you? He asked turning to her. he couldn't hide the surprise from his face this time.

'You are a jerk!' she screamed at him.

'Yeah but sweetheart, you already knew that.' Before he knew what was happening another plastic bottle whacked him on the fore head, and another was flying at him. She was screaming at him but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He was just trying to dodge the bottles.

'Peyton stop!' Faith rushed to her and held her hands to restrain her.

'Whoa P. Sawyer cool it.' Skillz said finally stepping in the middle. He had been watching from a distance but then when things started to get physical he had decided to step in.

'She's crazy!' A.J said behind them.

'You are going to get out of here if you know what's good for you' Skillz warned him.

'What the hell was that?' Faith asked her when A.J had left.

She said simply.

'And that's news to you because...?' when Peyton didn't explain further Skillz went on to tell her what Peyton had told him.

'Yeah but what's that got to do with A.J?' this time it was Peyton who explained and told them about the kiss.

'And she was so upset, but I thought I would give her time to collect her thoughts but now I can't find her anywhere.'

'I'm sure she is alright, she is probably in one of the bedrooms.' Faith said soothingly. She wasn't really sure who she was trying to convince, either herself or Peyton.

'Look let's split up and look for her.' Sam suggested. Faith looked at him and smiled gratefully, in all the commotion she had forgotten about him, so that's what they did. But ten minutes later they all came back with nothing. They had searched the whole place. Skillz and Peyton had even gone outside but they came back empty handed.

'She is not here!' Faith could sense the panic in Peyton's voice and if she was honest she was starting to worry too.

'Did you find her?' Lucas and Nathan both asked at the same time coming towards them from opposite directions. Peyton shook her head.

'I'm sure she's fine Peyt, she looks like a person who can take of herself.' Lucas said smiling at her tenderly. She looked up at him her green eyes filled with worry that he just wanted to take her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay.

'She was so upset though.' She whispered in a tiny voice.

'Maybe she left with her brother.' Nathan offered.

'Nah... saw that dude leave with Th...' Skillz caught himself before he could finish looking at Peyton. His eyes were full of pity and she knew, he had left with another girl. Wasn't that just a perfect ending to a perfect day (!)? She shrugged at Skillz telling him she didn't care.

'Who are you guys looking for?' asked mouth who had just joined them with Brooke trailing right behind him.

'Harley.' It was Nathan who answered. Brooke groaned

'What now?' Lucas shot her a warning look when he saw Peyton's thunderous look. She was ready to have someone's head on a plate and if Brooke wasn't careful it would be hers. he explained to her that they couldn't find her and they were worried.

'I did see...' mouth began but Brooke cut her off.

'Argh, she is so doing this on purpose just to draw all the attention to herself, she is just being dramatic.' Peyton fully turned to her then, her face thunderous. She opened her mouth to say something but then quickly closed it after consideration. Instead she took a deep breath and said coldly, 'That's more your style isn't it?'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Brooke fired back.

'It means if you have nothing reproductive to say shut the fuck up!' Brooke reared back as if Peyton had physically slapped her. she never swore, not if she could help it. Brooke frowned at her friend, what was going on with her?

'Why do you even care, it's not like you guys are friends?' when Peyton said nothing she began to worry. 'She hasn't been here for even a day!' she yelled

Peyton just shrugged at her sadly. 'you wouldn't know anything about it. and I can tell you something else too. She would be doing the same if it were me.!' She turned away from her and turned back to Faith. 'You tried her cell?' faith raised her eyebrow at her but then told her anyway. 'It keeps going g on voicemail.' Peyton sighed in defeat.

'I did see her before; she was heading for the beach. I don't think she came back.' Mouth finally said when they all stopped talking. They all swivelled around to look at him in shock.

'What?'

'Why the hell didn't you tell us?' Peyton yelled at him making jump.

'Because you were yelling at each other and I couldn't get a word in.' he said nervously. Peyton and Faith set off running toward the beach with everybody else right behind them. They searched the beach for more than thirty minutes from one end to the other but there was still no sign of her.

'I should have followed her.' Peyton said tearfully.

'I should have realised that she was upset.' Faith said after remembering the last time she had seen her friend. It hadn't occurred to her then that she might have been upset.

'come on guys, don't do this to yourselves.' Lucas took Faith in his arms putting his left hand on Peyton's shoulder. 'She is not here so she has obviously gone home somehow. Maybe she just needed time to herself.' He hoped it was true because right now both his closest friends were looking at him as if he was the source of their hopes.

'I'm sure you are right. But can we just check her house just in case?' She looked at him pleading, and after casting a brief look at Brooke who reluctantly nodded he agreed. How could he not when she looked at him like that, like he could make everything okay? And he found himself wishing that he could...for her.

'I'll come too.' Brooke offered after a bit of consideration. She didn't even know why Peyton was so upset. The idea that the new girl was stealing her best friend was not appealing at all. So she needed to be the best friend that Peyton had always thought she was.

So Peyton, Faith, Lucas and Brooke set off for the Taylors' house but then they all realised that not one of them had an idea where that was, so Peyton had to swallow her pride and called Riley but that also went straight to voicemail.

'Maybe he's doing the nasty with Theresa.' Skillz joked but then realised the error in judgement when nobody laughed and Peyton scowled at him.

'Guess it's not the time for jokes huh?'

'gee, what gave you that idea?' Faith asked rolling her eyes at him.

'Guess we'll have to wait till morning.' Peyton voiced the suggestion that everybody had been afraid to say out loud in case she yelled again.


End file.
